People have been banding together for decades to build community-owned infrastructure such as private roads, sewer extensions and mutual water companies. We apply this time-tested approach to improve broadband in communities like yours. Participants share the construction and operational expenses while gaining cost transparency and eliminating excess profit.

We partner with community champions to create a critical mass of participation. We support these efforts with marketing materials and our online tool for crowdsourcing and crowdfunding fiber networks. Our solution can be applied to a variety of project sizes…even mere dozens of homes.

To cover the cost of construction, each member pays a one-time assessment which can often be financed. Once a community has sufficient participation, we take care of the rest: finalizing the network design, securing permits and providing construction oversight. If needed, we will help to establish a non-profit Mutual Benefit Corporation to own the network.

After construction is completed, Next Level professionally manages the network’s operations on behalf of the community.

We will also help to engage one or more ISPs to provide internet service. The network design is “open access” which means that multiple ISPs can provide service across the fiber infrastructure. Our solution thus provides a foundation for internet service competition.

The monthly cost of service is often less expensive than comparable service from existing broadband providers. Further, as more people join the network, the shared cost of service will be split among more members. This means that everyone’s monthly fees will go down as participation increases.