| reply to Madmick
Re: profits to be made?? I don't think I'm going to be told about New England by someone from New York.
The reality is that a majority of people here would pay 50$ a month for Internet. I work with a rural wireless ISP and they can't install customers fast enough when a new market is deployed.
The problem has a lot to do with the State Government.
Augusta handed 12 million bucks out the back door to Verizon for DSL service for a potential 35,000 customers (knowing they're leaving next year). That 12 million dollars should have gone into the ConnectME fund so companies (namely those deploying broadband in rural areas) could make proposals to deploy services that would benefit people past the 3 mile mark including those served by a Central Office 10+ miles away. Any of these Wireless-based ISPs could deploy most of the non-cable and low-DSL areas of the state with that kind of money as well as cover operating costs for a while.
As far as high speed services over copper, If you take a look at Great Works service map (www.gwi.net), you will see 20mbit DSL is available in many points in Maine, including those of lower population (such places as Norway, Presque Isle, Millinocket, Skowhegan, etc). A service that wasn't available to much of the US, but we've had ADSL2+ technology here for years. Yes, it's based on distance from CO, but price/perf rivals or beats cable. Cable is only available to something like 60% of the state.
With no promise of FTTH in major metro markets (Bangor, Portland, and some points between), Fairpoint would likely push things backwards. They're the most disliked carrier for rural telco in the state, which probably won't change by taking over the Verizon markets. Most of their infrastructure (especially for broadband) is outsourced. Also, they charge 79.99 for 1.5/1.0 mbit DSL service. |
