----- Original Message ----- From: "Dawn DiPietro" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "WISPA General List" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:20 AM Subject: Re: [WISPA] Muni networks, the good, bad and ugly
> Mark, > > Many if not most RFP's today require a percentage of accounts be > discounted heavily or given away for just the reasons you are describing. I don't see any relevance at all. > > The term “Digital Inclusion” is used in this document to describe the > goal of expanding the capabilities of computing technology worldwide to > better serve social and economic challenges of underserved communities, > both rural and urban. Nice political buzzwords, but does not address why a community or region is economically backward by comparison to it's surround, or the nation on average. The "digital divide" makes for wonderful thesis writing and great political speeches and a useful football to kick hither and yon and make tons of political yardage. My experience is that the digital divide is far more self-imposed than politically, economically, or socially. Success for an individual is far less dependent upon things like computers and broadband, than it is upon basic education, understanding money and economics, and a mindset seeking opportunity. Those who have the means, and have found ways to utilize it, have made broadband a part of their life... It has become indispensable to THEM. Millions of successful people have not. Neither is superior to the other. > > If you would get off your own train and look around and maybe read a > thing or two on this subject maybe you would understand this a little > better. Maybe I'm ignorant, but as a long time user of broadband, salesman for broadband connections, and operator of a broadband network, and a good communicator with the scores of customers I have hooked up, understanding what and how they use their connection, I would guess I have at least some clues. There are lots of statistical "correlations" between bad economic conditions and a lack of broadband. There's a lot of words being pushed about how broadband is essential or even being sold as the driver for economic revitalization or improvement in these areas. I completely disagree with that notion, because my experience is that economic improvement will result in more people buying broadband, and then making use of it in ways that improve thier economic conditions. We're talking "chicken and egg" here... what causes what. The fact is, many things usually need to change in an area to improve the economic conditions... Broadband, while useful and helpful, does not drive these changes, nor will supplying it WITHOUT those other factors accomplish much of anything. Just as building a superhighway to a town where nobody can afford a car doesn't do a lot of useful things... There comes a time when, if economic conditions improve, that highway would be needed. Economic revitalization or enhancement where it is needed can include broadband, provided that the fundamental issues of economics are addressed, and that market driven supply and demand create the need and then fulfill that need... +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ neofast.net - fast internet for North East Oregon and South East Washington email me at mark at neofast dot net 541-969-8200 Direct commercial inquiries to purchasing at neofast dot net -- WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
