The Iowa communications network: The policy implications of publicly funded infrastructure

The Iowa communications network is a statewide fiber backbone, designed primarily for distance education. The network also handles long-distance telephone traffic for state government, and administrative meetings are conducted using the network's two-way full-motion video capabilities. State law prohibits the use by private parties, but some private users have been able to have access by partnering with educational institutions. Those institutions can reserve the use of the network without justifying the purpose or explaining the nature of the use. As one might expect, Iowa private telephone companies are extremely frustrated with the situation.