| And the other side: Cable fights competition The other side of this battle, and pretending to be friends of all the little towns, are the cable companies. They are fighting a statewide franchise law because the last thing they want to see is Verizon in their backyards offering TV pkgs at 25 to 30% less than they offer. And if you believe that they care about the rights of all these little communities, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you.
The statewide franchise law is best for the consumer, no matter who is pushing for it.
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rileyjam514There You Go Again...
join:2005-06-26
Kearny, NJ | Wouldn't it be better to allow two separate franchises to operate in the same town, and therefore allow true choice of services? A statewide agreement, in my opinion, would result in everyone getting locked into one company. Given the choice, I'd rather not have Verizon. I don't see how it's required that Verizon or Comcast has to operate - can't we all just get along?
Oh, and thanks for "sharing" my typical tagline.. lol. |
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| said by rileyjam514:Wouldn't it be better to allow two separate franchises to operate in the same town, and therefore allow true choice of services? A statewide agreement, in my opinion, would result in everyone getting locked into one company. Given the choice, I'd rather not have Verizon. I don't see how it's required that Verizon or Comcast has to operate - can't we all just get along? The draft I read of the state franchise law makes the franchise non-exclusive. That means any companies can come in and provide services, including fixed wireless, other cable companies, etc. Of course they have to build out some infrastructure. So if other telcos(besides Verizon) want to provide service in some towns and not others, they are free to do so.
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rileyjam514There You Go Again...
join:2005-06-26
Kearny, NJ | Ah. Had not read that. I should read things like that in the future. |
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| reply to fAcEtIOUs
Why is it 'better' to have a single statewide franchise law? The benefit to the megacorp is clear to see, but what's the benefit to the consumer? As it is right now, I can go to the town meeting, and voice MY opinion of the cable lineup. And that's just it, MY VOICE counts. Maybe it's the minority, but maybe in my neck of the woods I share the same value system as my neighbors, and we DON'T want ESPN2 at 10.00/month to be part of our package. That's OUR Benefit, that's OUR Choice. It's OUR LAND they are running wires over, so they play by OUR rules.
Name one benefit we get with a statewide franchise!
Do I get lower prices?
Do I get a voice in channel lineup changes?
Do I get the ability to demand certain levels of service?
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Sure the internet has lots of porn and piracy, but I'm sure there's a downside to it. |
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| Do you have any of those things now? |
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 Ebolla
join:2005-09-28
Dracut, MA | reply to G_Poobah
one benefit?
no city can deny a company the right to setup cable services within a city, hence promoting more competition.
is that enough of a benefit for you?
downside of course is individual cities have less of a say in deciding if they want a company.. local access services coming to mind.. BUT it is promoting competition that so many people want. |
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1 edit | reply to G_Poobah
said by G_Poobah:Name one benefit we get with a statewide franchise! Do I get lower prices? Do I get a voice in channel lineup changes? Do I get the ability to demand certain levels of service? Faster build out because you don't have to buy off every community politician in the state. They get a flat cut of revenues, so most communities actually get a better deal. It is just the pols who get less. And faster build out means competition and lower prices come sooner.
Less bureaucracy means lower prices. Faster build out means lower prices(less interest due to shorter length bank loans).
SLA's are included in the state franchise law.
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2 edits | quote:
Faster build out because you don't have to buy off every community politician in the state. They get a flat cut of revenues, so most communities actually get a better deal. It is just the pols who get less. And faster build out means competition and lower prices come sooner.
You should rephrase that: "Faster build out to dense & wealthy areas because you don't have to buy off every community politician in the state." It's good for investors (your primary interest) but there's no evidence it does anything for users.
The rest of your post is spin. Particularly the "lower prices" and competition bit, which reeks of baseless Conservative think tank deregulatory rhetoric.
In rural America, often the only thing bringing providers to certain areas are deals struck locally via franchise agreements.
The low-price orgy and competitive utopia you think state-wide franchises bring are a fairy tale. A carrot held out to lawmakers and uninformed citizens who lack brain cells.
And of course there's the elimination of public access, and special-deals, struck by locals who know what that community really needs, that can often get schools in low income neighborhoods wired.
No, the sole purpose of a statewise franchise is so an incumbent can concentrate all five-hundred of your lobbyists at one lawmaker in the state-legislature, and more effectively ensure you dole out as few "extras" to communities as possible. |
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| said by Minister: It's good for investors (your primary interest) but there's no evidence it does anything for users. quote:
I pay for cable and am a user. I'd like lower prices too and I believe this can help deliver them.
In rural America, quote:
In NJ??? There is no rural in NJ(less than 1% of the state)
Can concentrate all your lobbyists at one lawmaker in the state-legislature quote:
lower bribing costs = lower prices
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| quote:
I'd like lower prices too and I believe this can help deliver them
Well then lets meet up here in five years, and you can apologize to everyone for being wrong.
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In NJ??? There is no rural in NJ(less than 1% of the state)
Rural, underserved, whatever.
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lower bribing costs = lower prices
Now that's pure fantasy. |
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 hobgoblinSortof AgoblinPremium
join:2001-11-25
Orchard Park, NY
kudos:4 | reply to G_Poobah
The great pooh bear posted
"That's OUR Benefit, that's OUR Choice. It's OUR LAND they are running wires over, so they play by OUR rules."
Its rare I agree with you but this is one time I do.
Hob
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| reply to Minister
Do you think cable is widely available in poor rural areas? I could get cable where I live... if I pay somewhere in the 4 digit range for the local cableco to install extra cable.
There's a guy I knew who lived in a sparse area of New Orleans. He claims he couldn't get cable despite the local franchise agreement supposedly promising to wire his small street up.
But then again the ethical nature of New Orleans politicians is so much higher then state politicians.  |
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 haamsterPremium
join:2002-12-02
Monroe Township, NJ | reply to fAcEtIOUs
said by fAcEtIOUs:In NJ??? There is no rural in NJ(less than 1% of the state Have you ever been to NJ? 'Cause you pulled that figure right out of your rectum. |
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| reply to G_Poobah
said by G_Poobah:Do I get lower prices? Do I get a voice in channel lineup changes? Do I get the ability to demand certain levels of service? Yes
Yes and
Yes
You also don't have to worry that once you get on-line and enjoy the much faster speed at $15 less a month then Opt. they are not going to raise your rate $15 in one month and say "tough luck we are the only game in town what are you going to do go to dialup?"
I switched back to Verizon DSL and it isn't that much slower then Opt, once FIOS comes I am there 15mbs for $29.00 a month. Screw Opt. Oh and then phone service on it and soon Direct TV over light which isn't affected by heat, cold, rain or snow, unless someone cuts the fiber.
Full disclosure, I had been an opt subscriber when Verizon couldn't get DSL to work. I made three Presidential complaints at that time about the problems with Verizon DSL, even posted some comments here. Today Verizon has cleaned up their act and for a year I have never been down.
I also work for Verizon for 33 years, since phones were hard wired to the wall. I am watching the FIOS being set up in CO's, on the poles and in homes. This is the best system ever devised to bring all this broadband to people. Don't believe the lies of the cable companies, Verizon is installing this service in every area in NJ as fast as they can, it is going to be a huge revenue boost why would they not want to sell it to everyone?
Enough said for now. Reply to me if you like but don't flame me I will ignore it. |
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Lazor25
join:2001-06-19
Princeton, NJ | reply to haamster
said by haamster:said by fAcEtIOUs:In NJ??? There is no rural in NJ(less than 1% of the state Have you ever been to NJ? 'Cause you pulled that figure right out of your rectum. Word |
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