Bypassing the Carriers, a Burg Goes Broadband David Farber, a former chief technologist for the Federal Communications Commission and professor of computer science at the University of Pennsylvania, agrees that local governments will need to take part in extending broadband availability. "Cities and towns provide highways, sewers and infrastructure," he said. "In a world where it's pretty clear that telecommunications companies aren't in any rush to provide infrastructure, it's rational for the cities to get into the business."