[Community_studios] Fwd: [GKD] Small Towns Build Their Own High-Speed Internet Systems

[Alex]

Tom,

It just shows that America hasn't changed much in some ways. Anyone remember
the Company Store? Where government is swayed by big business, ordinary
citizens get the shaft.

On one hand, the corporations tell the government what's best for their
constituents, and the government, having no contrary opinion, makes a
decision based on the information available to them at the moment. On the
other hand, people are so used to getting screwed around and either just
complaining about it or just breaking the "unjust" law that they never seem
to fight the corporations on the same playing field. It's always the
corporations act and the people react, never the two acting at the same
time.

The problem comes in when laws are created to prevent competition to the
monopoly. I couldn't care less if my competitor is Verizon and I want to set
up my own ISP, just don't make it illegal for me to compete and I'll be
fine. I can't believe anyone would be moronic enough to believe that making
it illegal for someone to start a business in a locality that others are
legally operating in the same locality would be good for anything. Anything
except a bunch of criminals maintaining monopoly power.

Alex Heizer
http://www.synchcorp.com/alex
http://www.synchcorp.com/alexheizer


tom poe wrote:

> Hi:  Know anyone in one of these "progressive" towns?  They might want to
> check out our model, and go for it.
> Thanks,
> Tom Poe
> Reno, NV
> http://www.studioforrecording.org/
> http://www.ibiblio.org/studioforrecording/
> http://renotahoe.pm.org/
>
> ----------  Forwarded Message  ----------
> Subject: [GKD] Small Towns Build Their Own High-Speed Internet Systems
> Date: Fri, 19 Apr 2002 11:58:58 -0700
> From: "Alan Levy" <refconstandard at yahoo.com>
> To: gkd at phoenix.edc.org
>
> Colleagues,
>
> Q. What does the story below say about the digital divide?
> A. It shows incumbents trying to monopolize.
>
> Q. What does it say about government?
> A. They purposely restrict ICT deployment and artificially raise
> costs.
>
> It's a shame Mr. Link Hoewing of Verizon considers competition a
> disincentive!
>
> Enjoy.
>
> ---------------
>
> SMALL TOWNS BUILD THEIR OWN HIGH-SPEED INTERNET SYSTEMS
>
> As politicians in Washington debate over the digital divide, many small
> towns are building their own bypasses to the information superhighway.
> "Some of these towns were too small to get the attention of the large
> incumbent providers -- the rate of return isn't there for them," said
> Ron Lunt, director of telecommunications services for the American
> Public Power Association. According to one government study, less than
> five percent of towns with fewer than 10,000 residents have both DSL and
> cable modem service available. Small towns are building their own
> systems, often providing high quality service at prices cheaper than
> commercial providers. Many towns are finding benefits beyond speedy
> Internet access. "It's a consumer-owned system - it helps support our
> parks, our pools, our police," says Keith Hill, borough manager for
> Kutztown, Pennsylvania. "The money stays in the community."
>
> Link Hoewing, assistant vice president for Internet and technology
> policy for Verizon, said that towns building their own "last mile"
> systems are doing a great disservice. Hoewing argues that the patchwork
> of local systems creates a disincentive for major providers to invest
> and build integrated networks. Eleven states currently bar or restrict
> municipalities from offering high-speed Internet service, but according
> to energy and telecommunications consultant Carol Heiberger, "...the
> cities and towns are saying, 'You're not doing anything for me now. This
> is about economic development.'"
>
> ------------------
> Alan Levy
> Mexico, D.F.
> refconstandard at yahoo.com
>
> =====
> Iustum et tenacem propositi virum
> si fractus inlabatur orbis
> impavidum ferient ruinae
>
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