AR
Premium,ExMod 2001-04
join:2000-09-21
Toronto, ON |  Great interview!
In keeping with what this site is really about...this is a great interview.
I see some member names in there, members who have in-depth knowledge of the politics behind broadband deployment.
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What? Me worry? |
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koitsu
Premium
join:2002-07-16
Mountain View, CA | Agreed. The latest few interviews provided here have been absolutely fantastic -- keep up the good work.
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Making life hard for others since 1977. |
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RayW
Premium
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT
clubs:
 ·XMission
| An anti-government shyster
And he supports munis having their own systems AKA the electric era. And he talks about some history.
Too bad the rest of this country can not see this piece and understand the history. Of course, today the money is a bit different, I think that the industry in question can pay off politicians and the media to do what they want. And face it, when it comes to thinking, most of the US has become 'Joe Six-Pack' in one respect or another (myself, sadly, not exempted  ).
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I am not lost, I find myself every time. |
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lml2000
Whazzup
join:2000-08-17
Los Angeles, CA | Thanks to Karl & Jim for an informative interview
Maybe BBR can convince Jim to be a regular contributor here? |
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tschmidt
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-12
Milford, NH
 ·Hollis Hosting
·Verizon Online DSL
·Fairpoint Communic..
| Wild wild west of broadband
Thanks Lev,
A number of NH towns are in early stage investigation of municipal FTTH network nice to get as many perspectives as possible.
Is BBR going to give equal time to the incumbent Cablecos and Telcos to explain why Municipal Broadband is not a good idea? |
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Jaime
Premium
join:2001-06-03
Huntington Beach, CA
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Charter Pipeline
| said by tschmidt  :
Is BBR going to give equal time to the incumbent Cablecos and Telcos to explain why Municipal Broadband is not a good idea?
I would hope so. Although I really do favor municipal broadband and believe anything that the private sector spits out must be taken with a spoon of salt, yes that much salt.
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"The human mind treats a new idea the way the body treats a strange protein; it rejects it." - P.B Medawar |
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batageek
Slave To The Duopoly
Premium
join:2003-01-25 | BALLER IS THE MAN
Jim & Karl
YOU ROCK!
Excellent Article. |
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zabes63
join:2003-04-05
Batavia, IL
| reply to Jaime
Re: Wild wild west of broadband
When it comes to a Muni run broadband operation, the only thing that the incumbents know how to do is constantly repeat;
"Your taxes will go up!"
"Your taxes will go up!!"
"Your taxes will go up!!!"
Other than that they have nothing to say.
They could at least be honest with everyone and say, "this will result in competitive pricing which will not allow us to continue to gouge our customers in the manner inwhich we have become accustomed.
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Click here to visit Tri-City Broadband |
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Tom Zachman
join:2002-12-01
Dodge City, KS
| $3,000 Billion Dollars disappeared
That's only 3 Trillion Dollars in Government speak, and some say that's what disappeared from the worldwide economy with the .com bubble burst and (more importantly) the telecommunications downturn.
A massive United States initiative towards deploying FTTx will help us find this misplaced wealth. It will reappear with future developments, applications, software and hardware that can only be imagined today. Ignoring this opportunity simply delays the inevitable; we will get connected.
Pushing Ourselves into the future will be quicker than waiting for the existing copper to corrode. |
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Octopussy2
Premium
join:2003-03-30
Batavia, IL
| reply to tschmidt
Re: Wild wild west of broadband
That would be awesome!!! I'd like to see that!
I heard all of Comcast's and SBC's reasons why Muni broadband was a bad idea for the Tri-Cities...upclose and personal.
SBC and Comcast both came in here saying our business plan was flawed, we would lose money and the utility would fail. Shortly thereafter, SBC issued this email to their Tri-City employees.
»www.tricitybroadband.com/misc/sb···yees.pdf
Notice in the email they call out that SBC employees will lose their jobs if the referendum was to pass.
You can't have it both ways. It's either going to succeed and put SBC employees out of work, or it's going to fail because the financial plan is wrong. This is just one example of the "spin" the incumbents used on the Tri-Cities and their own employees as well.
And Jim...You do indeed ROCK!
[text was edited by author 2003-05-21 19:26:14] |
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zabes63
join:2003-04-05
Batavia, IL
| reply to Tom Zachman
Re: $3,000 Billion Dollars disappeared
said by Tom Zachman :
Ignoring this opportunity simply delays the inevitable; we will get connected.
Pushing Ourselves into the future will be quicker than waiting for the existing copper to corrode.
I agree!
Broadband is so much more than downloading Porno and MP3's. It is also one of the components of the engine that will help drive economic growth for any given area. Waiting for the telco or cableco to hold up their end of the bargain is nothing short of gambling with a community's economic future.
Once again, if the incumbents were to take care of business the way that they are expected to, there would be no municipal operated broadband.
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Click here to visit Tri-City Broadband |
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Tom Zachman
join:2002-12-01
Dodge City, KS
| Before I die, I want to watch a 3-dimensional broadcast of the SuperBowl that is (dis)played on my living room floor and also 3-dimensional telephony wherein our virtual conversations are very nearly lifelike.
Electrons can manipulate the data that the photons delivered. |
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Maxo
Your tax dollars at work.
Premium,VIP
join:2002-11-04
Tallahassee, FL
clubs:
| reply to Octopussy2
Re: Wild wild west of broadband
quote:
Notice in the email they call out that SBC employees will lose their jobs if the referendum was to pass.
Actually it says:
quote:
A government-funded network relies on taxpayers' hard-earned money, threatens SBC jobs and puts the municpal broadband at an advantage not afforded to their competitors.
It says it threatens their jobs, it doesn't say they will lose their jobs.
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Today I didn't even have to use my AK, I gotta say it was a good day. - Ice Cube www.maxolasersquad.com |
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rshoch
@o1.com | Hats off to all involved.
Solid & informative piece. Reduces many of my concerns surrounding public sector broadband utilityzation.
This good pro piece should be balanced by a future con piece from the other side. |
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batageek
Slave To The Duopoly
Premium
join:2003-01-25 | reply to Maxo
Re: Wild wild west of broadband
it can't threaten their jobs if it's going to fail |
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zabes63
join:2003-04-05
Batavia, IL
| said by batageek :
it can't threaten their jobs if it's going to fail
Yeah! which is it!? One or the other, but not both.
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Click here to visit Tri-City Broadband |
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no1ukn0w
Whats This?
join:2002-01-24
Boerne, TX
| There is only one problem
My ISP is a municipality, while you do get that down home feeling of calling and not having to talk to 3453 people to get to the person you are looking for there are also major problems that come along with it.
I've had major problems with my cable for 9 months, they knew there were problems, they would never admit to it, they just didn't have the money to upgrade the equipment for the demand (IMO).
Most people that live in a big city don't realize what a big problem this is. What am I going to do? Change providers, not gonna happen they are the only "broadband" gig in town, DSL and CABLE, they are the cable company AND the telco. Change to dial-up, well I'm looking to upgrade not downgrade.
The basic plan is 384/128 for $42/month (no webspace, 3 e-mails, dynamic. Get real, no major provider offers those kinds of speeds for that price. All the while Time Warner is chopping at the bit, wanting to offer service in town.
I know this is just "one case", but its the most frustrating thing to pay for the crap service, knowing that you can't call a competitor and get a better deal. |
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zabes63
join:2003-04-05
Batavia, IL | I was under the impression that Texas Law prohibited Muni run telco/BB outfits. |
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JakCrow
join:2001-12-06
Palo Alto, CA
| reply to Maxo
Re: Wild wild west of broadband
said by Maxo :
quote:
Notice in the email they call out that SBC employees will lose their jobs if the referendum was to pass.
Actually it says:
quote:
A government-funded network relies on taxpayers' hard-earned money, threatens SBC jobs and puts the municpal broadband at an advantage not afforded to their competitors.
It says it threatens their jobs, it doesn't say they will lose their jobs.
Actually, it's good 'ole Eddie threatening their jobs, but whatEVer.... |
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David
No,there is another.
Premium,VIP
join:2002-05-30
Granite City, IL
clubs: | This was an
enjoyable piece to read, rather informative and on the topic.
Thanks BBR... |
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