Same for the monopolies that exist in cable and telco broadband that allow them
to set rates based on whatever they can get away with instead of letting the
market determine rates with competition, or providing quality broadband service
[and choice] without gouging the customers, as it is today. Of course
businesses exist to provide products and services at a profit, but without
competition and subisidies, most tend to take advantage of that position at the
expense of the customers.
Betty, I would like to agree with you. But it takes investment to
do this.
I would like you to read these articles in the New York Times:
Wherever private companies can provide quality broadband service at a
reasonable price and make a profit it's fine. That's business. However,
as you know, installing FIOS is expensive, and only cost-effective in
areas of large populations. That's why we don't have FIOS around here,
but my friends in Delaware and near DC have that choice.
Broadband is no longer a luxury. It's becoming a necessity for
businesses, and as a result, it's more available to the general public.
Providers claim that it's too expensive to install broadband services
everywhere, yet it's needed in small and medium-sized towns and cities,
too. That's where the partnerships have developed--Allegany County, MD,
and Lafayette, LA are examples. Private companies refused to go into
Lafayette because it wasn't profitable [good reason], but turned around
and sued [bad business] claiming unfair competition when the local
governments decided to do it themselves.
My friend John in Lafayette Parish says that their 100Mb service was
partially funded by a program for schools. He also says that for
locations that are more remote, they need a broadband version of the TVA
to get started. Lafayette sold bonds to cover the cost. Laying fiber
began in January. That town couldn't depend on private companies [Cox,
Bell South] to get the broadband that businesses and residents needed.
According to the Lafayette Pro Fiber group, Provo, Utah is experiencing
the same kind of FUD as Lafayette, and may have both won and lost their
fight to get a fiber network for its businesses and residents.
The United States needs to provide universal broadband access to keep up
with foreign competition. The challenge is to find the most cost
effective and affordable way to accomplish this. FIOS, VDSL, WiMax,
satellite, cable, public, private, partnerships, whatever does the job.
The NY Times blog link reads like it's a paid advertisement for cable.
Read the comments below. I don't like cable, and hope that we will have
more reliable choices. Verizon is OK for now. Perhaps a combination of
fiber for higher population areas, and copper plus wireless for the last
few miles will be a better solution.
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