Significant segments of Americans still struggle to obtain some form of broadband Internet access and even more don’t have the choice of high-quality Internet service. Local communities are considering ways to expand digital inclusion for their citizens and taking action — as those with publicly owned networks have powerful tools for change.

Two diverse American communities — Wilson, North Carolina, and Arlington County, Virginia — are using fiber, ingenuity, and collaboration to tackle their digital divide issues.

The home of Greenlight, a municipal Fiber-to-the-Home network, Wilson, North Carolina, has been serving the community with fast, affordable, reliable connectivity since 2008. The city built its own citywide fiber optic network with money from private investors that are being repaid by revenue from the network.