said by RARPSL :

I am willing to accept that Verizon should be able to decide if they want to service an area so long as their decision to not service it PRECLUDES their spending 1 cent to prevent that area from creating their own Broadband Service. IOW: If you do not want to service it, you have NO RIGHT to fight someone who does (in court or the legislature). With the amount of Bribes and Court Costs to fight Muni Systems, the Telcos would have had money left over after just servicing the area in most cases.

said by Ahrenl :

You do realize that 80% of the population in this country live near the urban centers right? More people think Bush is doing a good job, than live in Rural USA. Consider you may never get service unless your community builds it yourself.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2000 there were 222,360,539 persons living in urban areas in the 50 states and DC -- 79 percent of the
281,421,906 total persons.

said by DrModem :

Ahem, moving is MORE expensive than running service out to nowhere probably.

"Just move if you don't like it" is the most idiotic and dumb suggestion I've ever heard.

said by Tzale :

In 2007, broadband is NOT needed to have a high standard of living. People should not expect Verizon to spend millions of dollars to provide FIOS to 10 people in a square mile that will take thousands of years to regain the money lost on rollout there.

said by Ahrenl :

Consider you may never get service unless your community builds it yourself.

said by RR Conductor :

I hate the us vs.them mentality, I really do. I hate it from the rural areas towards the cities, and I hate it from the cities toward the rural areas.

As one who lives in a very rural area, I have seen and experienced first hand the cities disdain for us. We get projects approved and funding set aside, only to have cities yank them away after some whining congressman in L.A or SF cries foul "how dare those hicks ask for anything, they should be happy with what they have!".

Also, as one who was born and raised in the L.A. area of SoCal, I have seen and experienced first hand the same thing from rural towards cities "let them get their own stupid water!...who would want to live in such awful, stinking places!", etc.

We are all entitled to things that better our lives, and "promote the general welfare", not just those who can afford it, or who happen to live near whatever it is everybody else wants-ie.food, water, etc.

said by RR Conductor :

We are all entitled to things that better our lives, and "promote the general welfare", not just those who can afford it, or who happen to live near whatever it is everybody else wants-ie.food, water, etc.