I too have reservations with the City/Park Board providing wireless service for the masses. Large investments in changing technology is risky business best left to the private sector. There is new technology on the horizon, and you can bet it will be commercial just as the local government entity unveils their service using older technology. Libraries and coffee shops often make the wireless available anyway. Security is another issue on a public system.
Michael Hohmann Linden Hills > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Behalf Of Scott McGerik > Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 4:43 PM > To: Mpls Issues List > Subject: Re: [Mpls] Going Wireless in Minneapolis > > > > On Dec 3, 2004, at 4:47 AM, Jeanne Massey wrote: > > > Excerpt from "Fast Internet Service for the People" in the Washington > > Post > > today: > > > > http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/1202-08.htm > > > > "For the millions of people who cannot afford high-speed Internet > > access, > > some local officials think they've hit on the answer: Build > > government-owned > > networks to provide service at rates below what big telecommunications > > companies charge. > > Providing competing networks most likely would lower costs where there > are monopoly providers. However, when I lived in Minneapolis, I had a > choice of DSL from Qwest and Cable Modem service from Time-Warner. > Initially chose Qwest because it was the only broadband provider when I > first went looking. However, I most definitely saw my service improve > when Time Warner entered the broadband market. My rates dropped and my > speeds increased! > > Possibly, having the City of Minneapolis provide a competing network > would spur further service improvements but I am seriously concerned > with how the City of Minneapolis (or any city government) would finance > such a network. The City of Minneapolis already has a debt in access of > $1 billion and had been running deficits for years. It would be unwise > to take on additional debt just so someone can download porn at a > cheaper rate than provided by Qwest or Time Warner. > > Correct me if I am wrong, but does not the City grant an exclusive > franchise to Time Warner for cable service? If so, then the City of > Minneapolis is guilty of granting a local monopoly in cable service to > Time Warner. If multiple companies had been allowed to compete for your > cable service, there might now be multiple companies providing > broadband service. Also, the local Qwest monopoly is a result of > government regulations. That is, when telephone service began, AT&T, > working with state governments and the federal government, sought to > create a "natural monopoly" or public utility that was regulated by the > government. Had the government refused to allow these natural > monopolies, we might not be cursing the poor service of Qwest. > > So, if the City of Minneapolis does grant exclusive franchises, maybe > it ought to stop because monopolies are bad for customer service. > > Scott McGerik > South St Paul (formerly Hawthorne) > http://scott.mcgerik.com/ > > > > > > > > > > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager > at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: > http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn > E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
