Can I take "I agree" to mean you support some forms of municipal
broadband? <grin>
- Dustin -
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
On Fri, 29 Jul 2005, Dustin Goodwin wrote:
The Cooperative Wholesale model being pursued in Philly does *not*
require tax payer dollars for funding and does *not* compete with
private enterprise. In fact it encourages competition and provides
mechanism for non-profits to offer affordable broadband to those
struggling up the socioeconomic ladder.
That's good. But that's not what the petition in question was for.
"Demanding affordable intarweb" is like demanding free lunch. The language
used in this petition ("working families") smells of communism. The
stretch of imagination that internet is anything like gas, water or
electricity is giant. The request for mayor to "invest in the future" does
sound like something my tax dollars will be used for (otherwise, just
*who* is investing?).
Municipal broadband does *not* mean free wifi paid for by tax payers. If
you look closely at the the Philly business model they are not planning
to give away anything or use tax payer dollars. I am not a communist and
I do not support municipal, state or federal government competing with
private enterprise. I do believe that the cable/telco duopoly must be
broken if we want real competition and not the sham we currently have.
If we let history be our guide industries controlled by two
mega-corporations often end up with collusion and price fixing . Do you
want Verizon and Time Warner dictating what you pay for broadband? Or
worse dictating how your business may offer services and what your
allowed to charge your customers? Sounds like communism... da?
Competitively priced broadband is good for our city/country economically
and socially.
I agree. But that's not what the petition in question was for.
Currently the city is pursuing a poll top franchise system that is yet
to lead to anything but a few of the usual suspects writing checks to
the city. Council person Gail Brewer has recently held hearings in her
Technology in Government committee on the creation of broadband policy
task force that will draw public and private representation. The task
force will, if approved, be tasked with producing a report on the
"technical, legal, environmental and economical feasibility of providing
affordable broadband access to all New York City residents, nonprofit
organizations and businesses.". If the city council approves the
creation of this task force, we will finally have a forum in which to
debate this and other strategies. Please read below to get a better
understanding of how municipal broadband can provide competition,
affordable broadband for New York's neediest and is not done at tax
payer expense.
I know that. But that's not what the petition was for.
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