Monday, December 30, 2013
At Least Three Reasons Why Telcos Lobby Against Municipal Broadband
U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace in Delivering Broadband Service. (The New York Times, 12/29/2013)
Thanks to municipal fiber optic networks. Some American cities have such superfast broadband that if they were ranked against foreign countries, several, like Bristol, Va., Chattanooga, Tenn., and Lafayette, La., would rank in the top 10.
Related reading
How the Telecom Lobby is Killing Municipal Broadband. (The Atlantic, 11/4/2013)
Well-funded, too. This battle has largely pitted well-organized corporations against people who aren’t quite sure what they’re voting on. Such measures have now passed in 19 states.
Related post
Thanks to telco's effective lobbying efforts. (12/20/2013)
Thanks to Telco's Effective Lobbying Efforts
U.S. Struggles to Keep Pace in Delivering Broadband Service. (The New York Times, 12/29/2013)
What would ALEC say? San Antonio’s power company has a largely unused fiber-optic network that local government offices have been using for high-speed Internet service for years, but a Texas law prevents the city from using the network to give low-cost service to consumers.
Related reading
Why Are There No Big Cities with Municipal Broadband Networks? (The Atlantic, 3/4/2013)
Profit centers. In big cities, there’s also one other obvious obstacle to municipal broadband: Current providers like Comcast will be heavily motivated to fight for their hold on the market. “Comcast and AT&T don’t really care about Chattanooga," Mitchell says. "They care a lot about Philadelphia. That’s where they do their best business." Big cities are where telecoms make their highest returns selling service to densely clustered customers on fixed infrastructure.
What would ALEC say? San Antonio’s power company has a largely unused fiber-optic network that local government offices have been using for high-speed Internet service for years, but a Texas law prevents the city from using the network to give low-cost service to consumers.
Related reading
Why Are There No Big Cities with Municipal Broadband Networks? (The Atlantic, 3/4/2013)
Profit centers. In big cities, there’s also one other obvious obstacle to municipal broadband: Current providers like Comcast will be heavily motivated to fight for their hold on the market. “Comcast and AT&T don’t really care about Chattanooga," Mitchell says. "They care a lot about Philadelphia. That’s where they do their best business." Big cities are where telecoms make their highest returns selling service to densely clustered customers on fixed infrastructure.
So he, too, can embarrass himself
Let's take a trip in the not-so-wayback machine.
The next day.
Back to 2013, where we see Scott Walker polling in single digits.
And if Walker's book was designed as a warm-up.....well, I guess it's time for Plan B. Republican primary voters also seem to be unintimidated at this point.
Peaked at #181 in its 3rd day of publication.
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