Like Wilson and Salisbury, NC, Bristol, VA, and Danville, VA, Lafayette is a smaller municipality. This is the size that generally seeks a municipal broadband service. Lafayette is different since it is not underserved by private Internet service providers. The only other private providers in the city are Cox and AT&T.

The presence of private providers creates a competitive situation. Unlike the case of municipalities that offer service to fill a telecommunication vacuum, LUS Fiber must compete with Cox and AT&T on price and service.  Of course, the effect goes both ways: the private ISPs have to compete with LUS Fiber.  Mitchell (2012) reported that Cox Communications had allowed service in Lafayette to languish while it invested more heavily in other areas but made major upgrades after the creation of LUS Fiber.

The presence of private competitors also increases the probability of legal challenges for municipal broadband.  Cox and AT&T fought the government through the state legislature and courts. As noted above, the FCC’s ruling in favor of municipal broadband was overturned in federal court.  At present the legal issue is a matter of state law and court interpretation.  About 20 states have laws that deter municipal broadband networks (Ramos 2015).

Conclusion

As a case study, the Lafayette experience is unusual in several respects:

·       the introduction of municipal broadband, which is unusual but not rare

·       the use of fiber rather than DSL or cable

·       the presence of private providers

The argument for municipal broadband in Lafayette was not that the city was unserved, as is usually the case.  Rather, it was that the city was under-served in relation to future needs and opportunities. Terry Huval argues that the Internet is the highway of the future and that cities which are well positioned on it will prosper, just as those located on rivers, railroads, or highways have done in the past.  The argument is based on the anticipated need for high capacity.

            Further, the Lafayette experience is unusual in that it did not start with an analysis of needs but the recognition of an opportunity, the availability of cheap fiber at a time when LUS was planning to upgrade its internal communications system.  This represents more of a bottom-up approach, rather than the top down one advocated by Mandevella et al (2008). 

Lafayette encountered many difficulties in implementing its municipal broadband service. What helped Lafayette’s success was already providing electricity. This meant it already have access to utility poles. Having some fiber already in place also helped. Also helpful is that Lafayette had two champions in LUS Director Terry Huval and City-Parish President Joey Durel. It was Huval that first brought the idea to Durel. There was also support on the City-Parish Council and among citizens judging from the bond referendum that was approved in 2005.

There were also many impediments as Lafayette had to deal with litigation and legislation from the state that, after the judicial interpretation, tended to stymie Lafayette’s efforts. This meant there was less time to deal with the implementation of the new service.  Such impediments are not uncommon, especially where private ISPs are involved.  They highlight the need for champions to carry the program through a lengthy implementation process. 

Ideally, digital equity means the service is available and accessible to all whether at home or in a school or library. Since the service is offered on a subscription basis with no mention of assistance, it is not really available for everyone. But LUS Fiber has made positive steps, such as providing high-speed service to schools and reaching into poorer neighborhoods where the prospect of subscribers was not as high as in more affluent areas.  Huval claims that the 2014 reduction in the price of one gigabyte service in residential areas was motivate by a desire to improve digital equity.  Whether the people targeted by digital equity efforts really need or would use such speeds in an open question.  There would also need to be an education effort to teach Lafayette residents about using a computer with this service.

Improved government service was the original intent of Lafayette’s network and since it did that with improving the communication in its utility system that was met from the beginning. Since there is evidence of improved government services and new employers have been lured to Lafayette, the service has mostly been successful. However, judging by the 2017 offerings by the three ISPs, LUS’s greatest advantage for consumers lies in speed, not cost. This can be beneficial for big businesses and anyone else that needs a fast connection. This is where LUS Fiber can set itself apart best. The private ISPs can still serve some residential customers and those that don’t require such fast speeds. While LUS Fiber has had successes, it is still a young company and it will take time to see its impact in Lafayette.

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