It has never been more important for second and third tier internet service providers (ISPs) to educate their customers about the value they bring to the table in communities.

That's according to Curtis Dean, the executive director of CBAN, the Community Broadband Action Network.

"We as small, local providers need to do a much better job of making sure our customers understand the value that we bring to them," he said on Beyond the Cable.

He said cheaper bundled service options from larger providers will continue to tempt many smaller ISP subscribers to switch.

Dean also says that while no technology threatens fiber's performance, he remains worried that bundling and race-to-the-bottom pricing will drive churn and bleed subscribers away from the footprints of smaller fiber networks.