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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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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Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO | reply to marigolds
So the consumer could speak with their wallet. What's the problem with that? |
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marigolds
Gainfully employed, finally
Premium,MVM
join:2002-05-13
Saint Louis, MO
| said by Skippy25 :So the consumer could speak with their wallet. What's the problem with that? The main problem is that it makes deceptive practice very easy. Since there are numerous legal protections for cable companies in place (on the assumption that they would protect their franchise), it is easier than it is in most companies to pull off fraud against a consumer. Just look at how many of the violations in the Rigas case were dependent on Adelphia being a public company. The feasibility requirement is the main protection the consumer has against a fly by night cable company setting up a false front, collecting install fees, and then collapsing without providing service.
The key for the consumer will obviously be to only go with known names.
That is only the most blatent barebones type of fraud though that can be carried out. Another problem with the current state franchise model is that it allows unregulated transfer of a company. Fortunately the SEC can cover some of the really disasterous problems that can arise there, but you are still talking about some pretty significant fiscal deregulation considering the type of industry involved.
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jslik
That just happened
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join:2006-03-17
clubs: | All good points. The thing to keep in mind with all this franchise reform is that we're going to have to live with these decisions for a long, long time, so we better make sure we're aware of those long-term effects. |
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