KoolMoe
Aw Man
Premium
join:2001-02-14
Annapolis, MD
clubs:
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Speakeasy
| Find someone better?
...says a spokesman for the mayor's office. "But we've had this exemption in place for more than 90 years and western Massachusetts still doesn't have broadband in place."
Pretty much says it all right there?
Massachusetts should look for other companies who may be willing to build-out fiber in their state. Setup a state-wide franchise system but DON'T award it to Verizon, as long as there's some other company willing to wire the state.
If VZ wants to ditch that whole state, fine. Mass should realize the power they have as a 6 million-strong consumer population.
KM
--
Don't Lie - Be Kind - Realize your Potential |
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AnonProxy
Proxy of Anon
Premium
join:2001-05-12
ß
| We are living this now...
In the next town over, Hancock, MA....they don't even have reliable phone service.
We have had to establish NGO's to try and fix the problem
»www.bconnect.org/
»www.pioneervalleyconnect.org/
At least the Patrick administration is trying to do something about it.
»devalpatrick.com/issue.php?issue_id=7578684 |
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morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs: | reply to KoolMoe
Re: Find someone better?
agreed. it's time for at least ONE state to stand up to bullying tactics by Verizon. maybe Massachusetts will be the one... |
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JTRockville
Data Ho
Premium,MVM
join:2002-01-28
Rockville, MD
clubs:
 ·LINGO
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·surpasshosting
·Verizon FIOS
| Does this mean the free market has failed in MA?
The only way Massachusetts can get modern communications service is by awarding welfare to a corporation?
Maybe it's time call Massachusetts a free market failure and begin municipal deployment. Why should the taxpayers of Massachusetts continue to fund corporate profit? |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| reply to KoolMoe
Re: Find someone better?
said by KoolMoe  :Massachusetts should look for other companies who may be willing to build-out fiber in their state. Setup a state-wide franchise system but DON'T award it to Verizon, as long as there's some other company willing to wire the state. That is the problem with the statewide franchise model. Every model bill being floated includes no provision for denying a franchise (some do not even include the bare minimum requirements that the company be financially and technically capable of deploying service).
Someone like you or me could form a company tomorrow with no financial backing and no experiencing running a cable company and get a statewide franchise if some of these bills pass (and most are going to pass).
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Professional Geographer
Geographic Information Science researcher |
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AnonProxy
Proxy of Anon
Premium
join:2001-05-12
ß | We can deny the franchise locally but the ONE time someone did the DTE over ruled them as half the members of the DTE board were Verizon lackeys. |
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bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA | This is what I said
When someone said what is the Gov doing...
»They are doing this
See.....I am ordering my FIOS today. and I will have TV by mid May.
--
Just my 2 cents...Flame Lightly... |
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Pathfinder
Dazed Confused
Premium
join:2000-03-26
Mount Vernon, NY
·Verizon Online DSL
| Makes sense to me
said by e-trade :
According to Mike Widmer, president of the non-partisan watchdog Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, it's a matter of "Economics 101" if the tax break is removed.
"There is major internal competition within companies like Verizon for capital spending," said Widmer. "When you impose a major new tax on a given industry, it would be naive to think it won't have an impact on companies' willingness to spend in the state."
Makes sense to me.
--
support the Hunley |
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BloodRoses
Gods lend wings to tainted hearts
Premium
join:2003-03-17
clubs:
 ·Cox HSI
·Verizon Online DSL
1 edit | reply to KoolMoe
Re: Find someone better?
Unfortunately, something like 5.7 of that is all in Boston. Most of Western Massachusetts is a desolate wasteland, so it's no surprise that Verizon wouldn't want to invest there (I probably wouldn't either). That said, with all the DSLAM equipment they're moving out of Boston, at least they could give them DSL and make use of the old equipment.
--
Cheers,
Stephanie - www.GlitterFaerie.com |
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bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA
| reply to JTRockville
Re: Does this mean the free market has failed in MA?
Why not. Massachusetts is the #1 Welfare state with a mandatory health insurance program starting July 1. If you don't have it you will and the state will take the premiums from your pay. But we are raising our state minimum wage....from $7.50 to $8.00 on Jan 1 2008. Yeah. That extra 50 cents will go a long way to pay the $260 health insurance premium each month.
Can you say under the table..... |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·AT&T Yahoo
·AT&T DSL Service
·Cox HSI
| Must be nice to be a big Corporation...
... so you can demand special privileges, no taxes, taxpayer dollars to your company, have laws passed that protect you and remove competition.
IMHO All this CRAP should be illegal. You always hear companies talk about a "Level Playing Field" but what they really want is a "Private Playground" with no competition.
Yes, I know these companies do this all over the USA. It should be banned everywhere. Either everyone gets the benefit, or nobody does, it's that simple.
--
"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!) |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
·DSL EXTREME
| reply to bigjimc
Re: Does this mean the free market has failed in MA?
MA sounds more like California, except that many of those that don't have health insurance also don't have SSN's either (or work under the table and don't pay). If you're in CA, claim to be a citizen from another country (Canada, Mexico, wherever), and use 'free'  county health care and bill the rest of us for it. |
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KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | reply to JTRockville
It means there really isn't a free market.... Verizon's getting special treatment... and they are demanding it continue. |
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inteller
Sociopaths always win.
join:2003-12-08
Tulsa, OK
| WTF comment of the week
""But we've had this exemption in place for more than 90 years and western Massachusetts still doesn't have broadband in place."
Well no shit sherlock.....broadband has only been around for the last few decades...not that I'm defending Verizon, but at least get your comments right. |
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bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA | reply to en102
Re: Does this mean the free market has failed in MA?
MA is like CA but older and much more high strung.
Call me a crass individual but if you don't have an SSN and you don't pay taxes and you don't get health care.....
I Don't Care.
I guess I am a Republican. |
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BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Everett, MA
clubs:
·Comcast
| No your an "american"
What pisses me off is I don't get sick or go to the hospital why do I need health care insurance ? It's a damn scam so Deval's insurance friends people can make even more money.
And since my company don't give it to me until I "qualify" how exactly does this work ?
They are taxing the people who work for the illegals who don't , but they go abuse the hospitals. They cough and go to the emergency room since it's free care.
My wife works in a hospital and when I go there I get sick just looking at all the people who have the free care papers and are filling them out.
Yet another reason I am looking else where in my companies foot print for a place to live.
--
"It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!" |
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en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | reply to bigjimc
I agree... however, most in CA DO get health care, and the rest of us pay for it (sort of like Canada, only those that pay for it aren't allowed to use it, and have to pay for their own as well). |
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dynodb
Premium,VIP
join:2004-04-21
Minneapolis, MN
| Um... so what?
The state is talking about a tax increase of $50 million dollars a year on land-based services- of course Verizon is going to fight back.
I fail to see where they're asking for "special treatment" or "corporate welfare"; just the ability to deploy without new taxes or having to negotiate terms with dozens of different municipalities. It would be much different if they were asking for a state grant or something.
I don't understand how so many people complain about their FIOS deployment being too slow or lack of complete broadband coverage, but in favor of almost any and all regulatory and financial obstacles to doing so. |
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bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA | reply to BosstonesOwn
Re: Does this mean the free market has failed in MA?
This is not a Deval scam. Mitt Romney started it and Deval has actually lowered the cost of it.
All I want to hear is Deval say "I'm not gonna fall for a banana in the tail pipe"... |
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bigjimc
join:2003-04-21
Middleboro, MA | reply to en102
No wonder my Canadian Citizen friend gets her health care in Boston.
She says the quality of Canadian Health Care is the same as an American made TV. Hit or Miss. |
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