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Comments on news posted 2011-05-27 18:40:08: Last week North Carolina lawmakers finally passed a law that companies like CenturyLink and Time Warner Cable have been trying to pass for four consecutive years. ..

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treich
join:2006-12-12

treich

Member

thank god I dont live in NC

thank god I dont live in NC. I live in a village that offers from dsl from (frontier) cable from (time warner) FTTH (local isp hometown cable) wireless (from a local telco where I used to work at as tech support). Wireless part of it I am going also change since I am getting ready to launch my own WISP.

Chiyo
Save Me Konata-Chan
Premium Member
join:2003-02-20
Salisbury, NC

Chiyo

Premium Member

Thank god I moved to NC

Moved to NC several months ago and stuff like this bothers me but what can you do obviously nobody really gave a crap and money talks so oh well I guess. I love my 50mbps from TWC. I either have that or UVerse gotta have something.
tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Brooklyn, NY

tmc8080

Member

customer density and geography

in the northeast, most of the geography is dense enough customer wise that there is justification for builds by incumbents. there are geographies in the southwest which are just not going to be built without heavy subsidies which are NOT forthcoming. i'll spare you the corporations control the economic agenda boiler plate rhetoric this time.

simply put.. if you can MOVE.. that will make the politcians wake up and take notice that towns and municipalities will live or die on the quality of life in the community and one of those ammenities is broadband at least as well delivered in the Northeast USA (aka 15 megabits DOWN and 5 megabits UP).

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

New law only guarantees voters get an OK BEFORE $ spent

The new law doesn't stop municipal broadband systems. All it does is make sure that local voters get to vote on the expenditures before their local pols decide to commit to a duplicate system build-out. Some don't want voters deciding on spending that money. They want it left to some local political boss looking to put relatives in to some political payoff jobs at the new broadband utility.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9

Premium Member

What's So Bad?

So, for those who've actually read the bill, what exactly is so horrific with this legislation?

I believe Centurylink is out of line asking its employees to to take political action.
openbox9

2 recommendations

openbox9 to FFH5

Premium Member

to FFH5

Re: New law only guarantees voters get an OK BEFORE $ spent

Don't forget that the law stipulates that the telecommunications projects need to be funded and self-sufficient. Two things that governments at all levels should be required to do for all efforts.
Cobra11M
join:2010-12-23
Mineral Wells, TX

Cobra11M to openbox9

Member

to openbox9

Re: What's So Bad?

said by openbox9:

So, for those who've actually read the bill, what exactly is so horrific with this legislation?

I believe Centurylink is out of line asking its employees to to take political action.

you and me both, Centurylink is way out of line on this one, kinda makes me rethink about Suddenlink (as far as these 2 company's go back) .....I dare them to try something like this in Texas..just sayin

powerhog
Stinkin' up the joint
Premium Member
join:2000-12-14
Owasso, OK

powerhog

Premium Member

Will the Feds challenge?

I wonder if the FCC or some other agency will challenge that portion of the state law which redefines "broadband"?

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

1 recommendation

swintec to openbox9

Premium Member

to openbox9

Re: What's So Bad?

said by openbox9:

So, for those who've actually read the bill, what exactly is so horrific with this legislation?

Wait...you mean people complaining about it actually had to READ this bill?! Be careful posing that question you asked....it is liable to make certain peoples heads explode trying to come up with an aswer.

There is nothing wrong with this bill really. If a government run network is going to be erected, it should be done so with a level playing field to that of private business. It should also have the tax payers input since they are footing the bill so going to a vote is not a bad idea.

BankerMama
join:2009-03-10
united state

1 recommendation

BankerMama

Member

Bad?

Your article is strictly against CenturyLink an TWC, but you do not say why the bill is bad, just you don't like it.
I don't like that "phone" companies have to spend money to serve everyone, but "cable" companies can pick and choose where they go. There's good and bad with all companies and politics are in everything, good and bad. That's life.
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

1 edit

Mr Matt

Member

NC ISP's will thank lawmakers with campaign contributions!

I am sure that lawmakers that voted for the bill will receive generous campaign contributions. In the past such payoffs were called graft and corruption. I guess supporters of the bill believe that all roads, water and sewer systems should be privately owned.

Edit:
Centuryink is right: Applauds Heavily Lobbied Politicians 'Courage and Conviction' Yes Heavily Lobbied Politicians should convicted like DJ's during the payola scandals in the 50's and 60's.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

1 recommendation

elray

Member

Score one for the people!

Thank god at least one state legislature gets it, saving the taxpayers of NC from the grubby paws of local politicians and their lazy neighbors.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

1 recommendation

88615298 (banned) to swintec

Member

to swintec

Re: What's So Bad?

said by swintec:

said by openbox9:

So, for those who've actually read the bill, what exactly is so horrific with this legislation?

Wait...you mean people complaining about it actually had to READ this bill?! Be careful posing that question you asked....it is liable to make certain peoples heads explode trying to come up with an aswer.

There is nothing wrong with this bill really. If a government run network is going to be erected, it should be done so with a level playing field to that of private business. It should also have the tax payers input since they are footing the bill so going to a vote is not a bad idea.

Sorry you're obtuse on this issue. The reason why local government are building networks is because current ISPs REFUSE TO DO SO. So how is local government being "unfair" to business when no one wants to do business in an area? The ISPs want to keep local governments from building networks in these areas "just in case" maybe one day in 20 or 30 years they want to build there. That's not fair to the local people. If the local people decide they want their lcoal government to build a network then theat's their right. Quit siding with corporations. Are you for the people or big business? Are you for the CONSTITUTION and LIBERTY or corporate facism? DECIDE.

I'm sorry but if a local governent ask tTime warner "hey would you build in our area?" and TW says "Sorry you're not profitable enough. Maybe in 20 years" Then TW lost all rights to claim that area.

swintec
Premium Member
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME

swintec

Premium Member

said by 88615298:

Sorry you're obtuse on this issue. The reason why local government are building networks is because current ISPs REFUSE TO DO SO. So how is local government being "unfair" to business when no one wants to do business in an area?

That's fine if they want to build..have at it. However they need to face the same costs and issues that a private company has to face. There also has to be checks in place, and these all start by a vote to the public since it will be tax payer funds being used.
openbox9
Premium Member
join:2004-01-26
71144

openbox9 to swintec

Premium Member

to swintec
I know, I asked the same question in Karl's last editorial when the law was passed. I never received a realistic response.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4 to treich

Member

to treich

Re: thank god I dont live in NC

you do realize that Ohio has a similar law right? It was passed without public knowledge. Many cities/villages will tell you about the law. Clyde, Ohio was a city that started out with BPL and then later wanted to extend the use of the city's fiber network to service the public with tv/internet/phone, etc. Before they could even think of it, at&t/SBC, Verizon, and TWC along with others stopped them in their tracks. Now they have a city wide Fiber network that extends to almost EVERY home/business to read and monitor power meters and to power the VERY LIMITED BPL network. They only built the Fiber Ring in hopes to be a HUGE player in their area for Services other provide.

I have option for Internet, cable and phone as well. DirecTV, DishNetwork, WOW! and TWC and now Clear. Some areas of my city have U-Verse but its limited even though the average income of U. Heights its $49,000+ per month. ATT doesn't care.
WhatNow
Premium Member
join:2009-05-06
Charlotte, NC

WhatNow

Premium Member

Somebody else should do it.

I could for county, region or state wide builds but muni builds just cut those outside the boundaries off. Much of the state except along the Interstates are little mill towns where the textile mill has closed and the only thing supporting the area is farms. The homes supported POTS because distance was not problem and the phone revenues from the cities pays for the phone lines but not for dsl and cable which require electronic cabinets or FTTH. In many cases the evenly spread homes would not generate enough revenue to pay for cell phone coverage. The farms are much smaller then in the midwest but it spreads out the homes making it hard to build expensive internet systems. The phone systems were build as monopolies over years. The internet is at least simi competitive and obsolete the day you run a new system on.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4 to openbox9

Member

to openbox9

Re: New law only guarantees voters get an OK BEFORE $ spent

very true. Especially as a Gov't entity they do NOT pay taxes on anything and are NOT allowed to turn a profit. Also in most areas the cities OWN the poles that they CHARGE others to use but do NOT charge their own departments to use. NOT fair at all.
hottboiinnc4

hottboiinnc4 to powerhog

Member

to powerhog

Re: Will the Feds challenge?

FCC can't- no rights to define broadband or anything Internet related.
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin to BankerMama

Member

to BankerMama

Re: Bad?

said by BankerMama:

Your article is strictly against CenturyLink an TWC, but you do not say why the bill is bad, just you don't like it.
I don't like that "phone" companies have to spend money to serve everyone, but "cable" companies can pick and choose where they go. There's good and bad with all companies and politics are in everything, good and bad. That's life.

Uh... the phone companies never even built their own lines. Those lines were given to them by the breakup of Ma Bell.
keenan424
join:2003-01-13
Santa Rosa, CA

keenan424 to swintec

Member

to swintec

Re: What's So Bad?

Why? TWC and Suddenlink are building for profit, a government project is building to provide service and ideally run self-sufficiently. Two different goals, why should the government sponsored project have to play on the same "field", especially when the private companies have taken a pass or are non-committal when they will expand/upgrade?

What sort of things would constitute this "playing field", in what ways will the government project have advantages?
sonicmerlin
join:2009-05-24
Cleveland, OH

sonicmerlin to openbox9

Member

to openbox9
said by openbox9:

So, for those who've actually read the bill, what exactly is so horrific with this legislation?

I believe Centurylink is out of line asking its employees to to take political action.

Are you serious? Stopthecap has covered this extensively: »stopthecap.com/2011/02/1 ··· arolina/

It doesn't anyone on "even footing". There is no way to be on even footing with an incumbent provider in an infrastructure industry, which tends towards a monopoly.

I can only smirk at your not having trouble with a private corporation writing laws that effectively prevent individual cities from building their own infrastructure. Oh but the law doesn't outright *ban* municipal networks. Well no problem there then right? You're incredibly hypocritical.

Whether you're a libertarian or conservative, allowing a corporation to control a government is beyond pathetic- it's against the "values" of a conservative.
hottboiinnc4
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH

hottboiinnc4 to keenan424

Member

to keenan424
gov't does NOT have to pay ROW fees. Gov't is non-profit there for does NOT pay taxes. Gov't project is tied to PUBLIC money. It's a money pit as it can NEVER turn a profit. It's subject to the $$$ it makes before it can even upgrade. A Gov't system may never have the $$$ to even upgrade the system when needed (BPON to GPON,etc), more bandwidth to the Internet, be able to pay the fees that content providers demand to access their channels, etc. It all costs money that they NEVER include over time. Also those trucks that install the service cost money- who do you think pays for those? The Citizens do- They also pay for the fuel those trucks use. More and more money always going down the drain. The cities should be focused on providing an updated emergency response crew (new fire trucks, EMSes, police cars, etc) and training that is ALWAYS on-going and changing. Those come FIRST when running a city. NOT after an FTTH network. If you don't have any people living in the city due to your first responders are NOT able to put out fires or respond people are going to move; then who is going to foot the bill for the network that nobody is signing up to use? TAX PAYERS that still live there. Also why should a 90year old Grandma have to pay to support a network that she'll probably NEVER use to start off with; nor care about?
hottboiinnc4

hottboiinnc4 to sonicmerlin

Member

to sonicmerlin
Gov't's have already ENOUGH to worry about paying for let alone creating an FTTH network for public use. They need to worry about keeping their citizens safe with the most modern equipment they can afford before spending money on this. You do realize how much a fire truck costs right? Instead of taking out a bond to pay for this network they should be taking out a bond to pay for that fire truck and maybe add a new EMS and a few new police cars to that. And a few new educational classes for the crews? A few new bullet proof vests for the police officers? I can think a MILLION things that they should be taking the bonds out on and paying for out of the tax money then spending it on Fiber.
hottboiinnc4

hottboiinnc4 to WhatNow

Member

to WhatNow

Re: Somebody else should do it.

that's the whole point of money. People can get $$$ from RUS to build out a network to support these areas. The fact is many choose NOT to do anything. there is a MASSIVE national WiMax provider (not Clear) that does this. They target areas that basically don't have anything and build. Much of their network is built on RUS money.
hottboiinnc4

hottboiinnc4 to sonicmerlin

Member

to sonicmerlin

Re: Bad?

NOT all of them. Cinci Bell was NOT part of the Bell system. Many others were not either- Sprint Local was NOT created from the break-up. MANY rural areas that are co-ops also were NEVER a Bell company.
firedrakes
join:2009-01-29
Arcadia, FL

firedrakes to treich

Member

to treich

Re: thank god I dont live in NC

hell i live in the middle of no where but we got are own isp. that is dam fast.
Wilsdom
join:2009-08-06

Wilsdom to hottboiinnc4

Member

to hottboiinnc4

Re: What's So Bad?

Firetrucks are a huge scam--responding to car accidents in Lamborghinis would be faster and cheaper. The country has at least 50% too many police because of the government's meddling in the narcotics business. And maybe if cops weren't being bribed into buying overpriced cattle prods off Taser International, they could afford vests...oh, wait, even police in towns where the government has taken away most of the guns have vests, also bought at 3x market rate. FTTH would pretty much be the only useful thing the government would have provided in the last 50 years, which is why they object because a devotion to corruption requires absolute uselessness.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
Premium Member
join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

Premium Member

Political corruption

Those same lawmakers probably got kickbacks from Time Warner and CenturyLink. They are probably now at the malls spending their bribes.

I live in Massachusetts so I know how political corruption works because the state of Massachusetts is probably the most corrupt state in the union. I grew up in Iowa which was not as corrupt at the time.

The communities with their municipal broadband are rural communities that TWC and CenturyLink would not touch because of a long return on investment period. They want to serve 8 customers off of one pole and not one customer every few miles.

firephoto
Truth and reality matters
Premium Member
join:2003-03-18
Brewster, WA

1 recommendation

firephoto to hottboiinnc4

Premium Member

to hottboiinnc4

Re: New law only guarantees voters get an OK BEFORE $ spent

said by hottboiinnc4:

very true. Especially as a Gov't entity they do NOT pay taxes on anything and are NOT allowed to turn a profit. Also in most areas the cities OWN the poles that they CHARGE others to use but do NOT charge their own departments to use. NOT fair at all.

They're also the ones who paid for the existing poles and pay for the replacement of poles and pay for the overall maintenance of the poles...

... but yes, I guess they sure do get a very unfair of not having to pay for those poles (that they have actually paid for).
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