GigaOM

It has been a tiring and mind numbing battle. Lafayette’s citizens have been fighting the pressure from incumbent service providers like BellSouth, as they attempt to build their own fiber network, and thus take their broadband destiny in their own hand. Today, for the first time, they can relax and celebrate. By a 62% to 38% vote, the citizens of Lafayette approved the Lafayette Fiber to the Home Project. On the occasion, Lafayette mayor, Joey Durel said, “Our citizens have sent a powerful message — Americans want their local governments to do what’s necessary to be 21st Century cities second to none.” Utilities Director Terry Huval: “Today, we did what our predecessors did 109 years ago — we took our future into our own hands.” Also “BellSouth and Cox wanted the people of Lafayette to speak, and now the people of Lafayette have spoken loud and clear. Now it’s time for BellSouth and Cox to accept what the people have said and stop throwing hurdles in our way.” Still, this is the first step. They now need to build the network, and prove the nay-sayers wrong. In many ways, the real work has just begun. I wish them luck… may they pave the way and become the blueprint for other small communities who want control over their broadband destiny!