I am starting to feel very positive about the possibility of creating a municipal broadband network here is syracuse.  free press has effectivley lobbied to direct stimulus money to build out that requires third party leasing, and there is good news about the time warner cable franchise agreement.  there is more info in the forum thread.  i think this email from Carlo Monetti, a fellow member of the Broadcast Media Review Group, could form the basis of an action plan:

Hi Seth

   Our local communications infrastructure is crucial to the social, economic, and democratic health of our community. It is equal in importance to our public roads, schools, and utility services. As technology has progressed, the capacity and diversity of services our cable system provides has increased dramatically, and will continue to increase rapidly. Over time we will become evermore connected, reliant, and dependent on our communications network. We are foolish if we, as a community, do not take the lead in securing public control of, and access to, our communications network.
     I propose to establish a municipal cable TV (i.e.,telecommunications) utility in Syracuse. By this I mean CATV, Internet, digital phone, and related data services. Today all of these forms of communications have converged into one technology, IP (Internet protocol) based digital services.
  I further propose building a state-of-the-art FTTH (fiber to the home) 100Mbit--1Gbit network for Syracuse (its cheaper than copper, to build and to service).
   I further propose extending the service with city-wide wireless access, using Wi-Fi, WIMAX, white spaces, and/or wireless mesh grid solutions. This will be an inexpensive addition since we own the network and rights-of-way.
    Municipal cable service is not new; we are not breaking new ground. Dozens of cities in the U.S. have it, and we can learn a lot from their experiences.
    The current franchise agreement is up for renewal. The agreement gives City the (amazingly unusual) option to purchase Time Warner Cable (TWC) cable system. Federal law dictates a number of constraints on selling price. So City may be able to purchase it well below notional market values. We could buy the local cable system and upgrade it as we see fit. Or, if the cable system is too outdated, we may simply create a new system from scratch.
    Municipal ownership will provide us with full community control of prices, service options, service policies, infrastructure planning and preferences. This eliminates having to fight big corporations and lobby state or federal government to get fair service in the public interest.
    It will also allow the city and county to consolidate their various communications (basic phone and data, plus police, fire, 911, remote meter reading, traffic light switching, etc.) needs into one more efficient and far less expensive system.
    Financing could easily be obtained by issuing municipal bonds. Cable service is a very profitable enterprise, so bonding is no issue. We should, of course, pursue any available government grants as well. This will lower the build-out cost, facilitate universal access, facilitate lower subscription prices, and increase the revenue available for PEG channels support, public access studio(s), and general local origination programming support.
    A low cost very high-speed network would provide multiple unique opportunities for Syracuse: deeply discounted pricing and high PEG funding; new venues for public involvement and journalism; public schools offering new educational services and experiences; local healthcare providers exploring and developing telemedicine applications; universities studying social interaction and transformation in a communication rich community; low-cost broadband as local economic development tool; and the transforming of Syracuse into a nationally renown modern and progressive city. Tremendous national public exposure will be derived from pursuing municipal FTTH cable service.
    That's a start. I'm willing to answer more questions and continue the dialog.

Cheers,
Carlo Moneti