Verizon made an excellent business decision to sell off in light of the rising cost and fuel and shipping costs.
Your whole post makes sense but I wanted to respond to this line in particular because it reminded me of something. When I went over there I had expected gas to be astronomically more expensive but I was shocked to find it was actually $.30 cheaper per gallon than here in Ohio. It turns out they get tankers full of crude and just refine it themselves right on the islands. Too bad they can't be more self sufficient with OSP. If you're correct about most of their plant being copper (and I have no reason to doubt you), I would think it'd be in someone's best interests to cover the islands with fiber! Perhaps a muni effort like the Utopia network could work in Hawaii?
The problem with running FTTH here is the fact that environment makes that cost prohibitive. There is things from blue rock (which is very costly to drill), to native Hawaiian burials which makes FTTH difficult here.
But there is exceptions. Sandwich Isles Communications received 400 million in USDA RUS loans (to be repaid by USF) to build a fiber-optic network to service only DHHL lands. They are already offering high speed DSL service on these homestead lands.
Done_Posting Shoot to kill Premium join:2003-08-22 Toledo, OH
I figured there were obstacles that I just wasn't aware of -- there's a reason why I'm a networking guy, not a suit.
On a side note, I envy you Konaguy; as I mentioned earlier, I'd jump at the opportunity to relocate to Hawaii. Last year was my first visit there, but my father (who has vacationed in Hawaii many times) has been talking about retiring there a lot lately. I come from Naples Florida so I'm no stranger to wealth and scenic beauty, but Hawaii has easily blown away every other place I've been to so far!
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