Oakland Blazes a New Trail in Internet Choice with the Communications Service Provider Choice Ordinance

If you're one of the many people who has ever glanced at your latest monthly statement and been shocked by price hikes or a bunch of fees that were tacked onto your bill unexpectedly, then you understand the frustration of working with a telecom provider that does not put customer satisfaction at the heart of their business operations.

Sometimes the frustration can become so overwhelming that a person might decide to cancel their service and look elsewhere for their connectivity needs. But a problem that we face even here in the Bay Area is that a lot of times there aren't any other available options to choose from.

It's due to situations such as this that Oakland Municipal Code Chapter 8.66 Communications Service Provider Choice Ordinance was born. Based upon a similar municipal law first started in San Francisco, a coalition of progressive media entities, including Monkeybrains, banded together to draft legislation giving Oakland residents the right to choose which provider they want to use for their homes - monopolistic practices and shady corporate kickbacks be damned.

The bill passed unanimously and became law in early 2021. It is now unlawful in Oakland for any property management or building owner to prevent a resident from using the ISP of their choosing. It allows residents to vote with their dollars and support smaller, independent service providers that more closely align with their values and eliminates exclusivity arrangements between landlords and ISPs, ultimately bringing in more competition and lower costs for residents.

Monkeybrains is committed to providing best-in-class service for any Bay Area resident who is looking for an affordable option for their connectivity needs. The Oakland Communications Choice Ordinance helps us in achieving our mission of providing and defending a private, unbiased internet experience for all of our subscribers regardless of location or financial means. In fact, we're currently in the process of using this legislation to bring our service to a large portfolio of corporate-owned buildings that has historically barred us from servicing their residents despite countless requests from would-be customers looking to switch providers.

If you or someone you know is interested in signing up for Monkeybrains internet service in a building where our service is not yet available, please reach out to our Account Executive team by emailing bizdev@monkeybrains.net.

We look forward to working with you!