keyboard5684
join:2001-08-01
Youngsville, PA
 ·Teliax VOIP
 ·WestPAnet Inc.
 ·WestPAnet Inc. CA..
| reply to Nightshade
Re: IMHO: BS
Well, then what about rural America? Are we going to get tax money to provide ANY broadband services to places 4 miles away from any town?
Why is Lafayette any different? Ever been there? I cannot in any way see how they deserve this anymore than any other city in America.
Government money is for something enterprise cannot provide because they will make no profit. This includes roads, police stations, street lights, and other projects that simply provide no return on investment.
The case here is if someone set up broadband, they could make a profit (maybe).
This could go very bad. A long time ago when there was a war going on people cut back on things. Women went to work while men went to war. Now, we are bickering about fiber, taking money from the government, that could be spent elsewhere (maybe hurricane survival or flack jackets!). |
|
Nightshade
sic semper tyrannis
Premium
join:2002-05-26
Salem, OR
1 edit | Well they don't deserve it anymore than any other town in rural America and no I never been to Lafayette but that isn't the point. The point is that the people of Lafayette took action and voted it for themselves when private enterprise didn't want provide any broadband and cable services to the town. From what I heard they have been promising for years to do it. Empty promises are just that, empty and worthless.
After a while it gets to the point where if they want it and they won't do it for themselves, then no one else will. It is oblivious that the private sector won't. I am a strong believer in capitalism but where a capitalistic market fails a community, then I see no problem in the community providing any services for themselves if they so desire the service.
--
True Happiness Must Come From Within |
|
Nightshade
sic semper tyrannis
Premium
join:2002-05-26
Salem, OR | reply to BillRoland
If the people wanted it and voted for it, then they should get it. Let them reap the benefits and suffer the consequences of their vote.
--
True Happiness Must Come From Within |
|
woody7
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA
 ·EarthLink
·DSL EXTREME
| reply to BillRoland
I can't think of the thread, but a lot of farmers are getting internet savvy for crops,related issues etc. Some are using nav, even cell phones. Companies are relocating to more rural areas. Im from CA, but have relatives in Bush, and lake Chuck, and they would welcome this. If not mistaken the people voted for it and understand the liability. Cox and Bell South (now ATT)sux major big time when you need them to do something. Peace
--
BlooMe |
|
espaeth
Digital Plumber
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-21
Minneapolis, MN
·voip.ms
·Vitelity VOIP
·Callcentric
·VoiceStick
·ViaTalk
·Comcast
·Embarq
| reply to Karl Bode
said by Karl Bode  :On the contrary, I think the irony is how a great number of people are perfectly happy spending billions or trillions of tax dollars on all manner of waste, fraud, war, bank bailouts and bridges to nowhere So because the government wastes massive amounts of money on other things, we should celebrate this waste of taxpayer dollars? |
|
factchecker
@cox.net
| reply to espaeth
said by espaeth :At least with the big greedy evil corporations the payments are on an opt-in basis. For the 38% of the people who voted no, they still are legally required to fund the development of that infrastructure with their tax dollars. That statement is false... Before you talk about tax money being used, check into (a) how LUS runs and (b) how the project is funding itself. There is no tax money being used.
Just because it is a municipal project does not necessarily mean tax money is being used. |
|
joker5656
join:2006-06-23
Dallas, GA | reply to keyboard5684
this is city money, not Federal money people. there's a difference. Federal money would mean mine and many others who live out of state are funding it, but since its city only those people are funding it. |
|
factchecker
@cox.net
 from:
Count Zero
| reply to needforspeed59
said by needforspeed59 :I think it is total BS that governments can compete against private enterprise no matter what the good intentions are. What's next: City of Lafayette gasoline stations? Grocery stores? Just to burst a hole in your statement, what LUS is doing might actually allow MORE private enterprise to compete for internet access in Lafayette. Projects like Utopia have allowed smaller, independent ISPs to flourish. One such is an ISP called XMission, IIRC. In fact, ATT even sold services across the network (not sure if they still do).
So while you might think it is bad, in reality, people end up winning from greater competition.
But hey, if you believe it wrong for the government to compete against private industry, then private industry should stop competing against government services - schools, military/police (read that as Blackwater, etc.), postal services (ie- UPS, FedEX, etc.), water and sewerage. There are two sides to the coin.  |
|
jhboricua
ExMod 2000-01
join:2000-06-06
Minneapolis, MN
clubs:
| reply to espaeth
said by espaeth :So because the government wastes massive amounts of money on other things, we should celebrate this waste of taxpayer dollars? Absolutely. |
|
battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000
| reply to jdmatl
I've followed this off and on some. I think the big difference is that the citizens voted for this. EPB in Chattanooga is trying to do the same thing except the citizens and rate payers have no choice. There are also 20 or so providers offering broadband over different mediums. The citizens in Lafayette have no other choice for broadband. |
|
GPSrob
join:2007-05-21
| reply to needforspeed59
said by needforspeed59 :I think it is total BS that governments can compete against private enterprise no matter what the good intentions are. What's next: City of Lafayette gasoline stations? Grocery stores? Yah, well, I think it's total BS that our government hasn't recognized that broadband is an important infrastructure just like roads and phones and that it hasn't taken steps to secure it's deployment to all citizens' benefit. There is a mandatory build-out rule for power and phones. Why not for broadband? It's more important than POTS since it delivers more and POTS can be provisioned over it. |
|
fredwilson12
join:2005-04-20
Sacramento, CA
| reply to needforspeed59
If you really think this is BS, then maybe you should read the "$200 Billion Broadband Scandal". Here's a good summary about it:
»www.newnetworks.com/ShortSCANDALSummary.htm
Basically, the telecommunications companies haven't done jack squat for us. They've just line the pockets of themselves, their stockholders, and their front groups at the expense of the American taxpayers. If the private enterprise doesn't want to do anything, then I guess the infrastructure should come directly from public funds, and not indirectly through tax breaks to private corporations. |
|
JustinMM1
join:2007-11-19
Jennings, LA
| reply to r81984
said by r81984 :You obviously are sheltered. The internet is just as much important as all of those tangible things you speak of. How do you think all of those things are ordered and scheduled? Manufacturing could not be as efficient without up to date data which most of the time is over an internet connection. Try to tell a manufacture that they cannot have internet access and see what happens. Business is conducted over the internet, if you do not think so then you need to go back to the 1800s. Good point. I live about 30 miles west of Lafayette and see how quick the city of Lafayette is growing with new businesses. |
|
NOCMan
Verizon Fios User
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Flower Mound, TX
| reply to keyboard5684
The people of the city paid through their local taxes. Federal funds did not pay for this.
IMO there is nothing wrong with this setup. In fact I would encourage cities to build all fiber networks and lease access to it so end companies can provide the services.
Outsource maintenance of the network to a company capable of doing it. Then all comers to the market are being charged the same access fees, their equipment has to play with everyone elses.
In the end you end up with standards compliant hardware and probably a better experience for all. Companies will come and go, but in the end they will be forced to compete on their own prices and services without any ability to undercut someone else unless they're willing to give it away for free. |
|
jc100
join:2002-04-10 | reply to needforspeed59
Sort of like the government issuing no bid contracts to companies (Haliburton).... or the government bailing out places (Bear Stern)...... or the regulation of monopolies.. seems you are SOL there need. |
|
Marduk
join:2004-09-05
West Chester, PA
·Comcast
| reply to needforspeed59
said by needforspeed59 :I think it is total BS that governments can compete against private enterprise no matter what the good intentions are. What's next: City of Lafayette gasoline stations? Grocery stores? LOL, I guess we should shut down the post office since they compete with fedex and UPS  |
|
jjeffeory
join:2002-12-04
USA | reply to needforspeed59
It's better than a crappy duopoly! |
|
jjeffeory
join:2002-12-04
USA
| reply to espaeth
You don't see govenments building out PSTN plants today, but they most certainly did in the past. The big telcos have bought out those already. Remember telephone service is a mature product. It had similiar issues in its past. Oh, and not just residential users will be using the new infrastructure. I'm sure business will take advantage of the network. |
|
jjeffeory
join:2002-12-04
USA | reply to BillRoland
I disagree. Broadband internet access has become AS important as either phone or electricity for many Americans. It is certainly an equal to phone service. It should be treated as an inportant addition to basic services in this 21st century world. |
|
jjeffeory
join:2002-12-04
USA
| reply to BillRoland
No, the internet and DATA "transportation" just enabled those companies to more easily process the credit card transactions, locate parts & supplies, & generally enable people to find information much more quickly and more efficiently than ever before. Knowledge is power. It is clear that you don't quite get this yet. |
|
