Analyst: Florida Cities Need to Exit Broadband Business

March 6, 2026

City Nets: Florida cities should let the private sector provide broadband Internet to avoid putting taxpayer dollars at risk, said James Madison policy analyst Turner Loesel in a recent analysis of municipal broadband projects in the Sunshine State. “Take Ocala Fiber Network (OFN) for example. After thirty years of operation, OFN has reached just 10.5% of the city with higher speed connectivity and only serves around 5% of the city’s population. Between 2021 and late 2024, not one new residential service area was added,” Loesel said on Feb. 26. OFN was not a response to market failure. “Ocala residents already have access to at least 13 private broadband providers delivering fiber, cable, fixed wireless, or satellite connectivity that are over 30 times faster at comparable or lower prices,” Loesel said, adding that Ocala just “approved $1.6 million for new fiber infrastructure and is exploring bond financing for a $90 million citywide expansion.” Florida law requires city-owned ISPs to shut down if they fail to turn a profit within four years, a restriction that recently caused Gainesville to hit pause on a new fiber project. “Florida cities should leave broadband to the private sector, which is already delivering results without putting a single taxpayer dollar at risk,” Loesel said.