Local governments don’t spend millions of dollars and go through great hassle to create telecommunications monopolies. Most often they get into the business of providing infrastructure because the private sector won’t do it or can not do it at a high enough level. (DSL sucks and Cable modems are just enough)
The blog The Fiber Optic Files has a good post reminding us why Towns and Cities are creating broadband networks.
Seems like a good time for a refresher course because industry lobbyists are doing their best to frame the argument in the media.
They say it’s about fair competition. What they clearly want is to protect their monopolies throughout NC cities.
You should know:
* Wilson asked the current cable provider to build an all fiber optic network in Wilson. They said ‘no’. Now they don’t want us to do it either.
* The service offered by the incumbent is old technology. Wilson business and industry deserve the best communication tools available; just like they’d get anywhere in the world.
* Taxpayers aren’t paying for this. Subscribers will pay for the network.
* No one will be forced to buy services from the city.
Government is not perfect. I do not have blind faith in any government. Running a network will be hard. But when local elections are decided by hundreds of votes individuals can have a say. We have a good form of democracy in many of our Towns and Cities. Thus when our local government does something we can steer it to act as a socially responsible body. In other words make sure government helps all people not just Wall Street. If I have to pick a partner for the future of my community and family I’ll pick my local government before large private companies. In the case of providing broadband, so should you.
Brian C. Russell 