Hey there,

We all know that ISP monopolies are terrible. One of the reasons that many of us are involved in Sudo Mesh/People's Open Network is because we want to create a community-owned, open-source alternative to privatized corporate internet infrastructure.

We're part of a coalition of organizations and local ISPs (Media Alliance, EFF, Greenlining Institute, Monkeybrains, Sonic) that are working to ensure that landlords can't get in the way of Oakland residents choosing their internet provider of choice. Specifically, it's about landlords not making exclusive marketing agreements or revenue sharing schemes with the likes of Comcast or AT&T in their buildings. But we also helped propose language in the Oakland ordinance so that it would protect tenants when they have a People's Open Net node installed on their building. (For more context, see this blog post on the EFF website: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/02/oakland-renters-deserve-quality-service-and-power-choose-their-isp and this one: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/12/hardwood-floors-natural-light-and-right-choose-your-isp)

IF YOU LIVE IN OAKLAND please fill out this survey about your experience with ISP choice — it'll take only 3~10 minutes >>> https://www.eff.org/oakland-isp-payola

These anecdotes of how people have experience restrictions on their choosing their ISP will help us make the case to Oakland officials to support this ordinance. We already have some allies in City Hall but having concrete stories of what this law could do would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks a whole bunch.

Mai