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Municipal Networks as Alternative to Commercial Broadband?
"Universally, it seems, people get better service and prices when such networks are implemented. It also forces telecom companies operating in the area to offer better service and prices as well, in short, to compete. But it's also increased companies' lobbying efforts against such municipal activity and it's not hard to see why such companies like AT&T Broadband, Charter Communications (controlled by Microsoft), and Qwest don't like it."
Not many municipalities are saavy enough to think about deploying this sort of infrastructure, however. For those in that situation, what kind of lobbying efforts must a municipality put together before village/town/city officials will take notice? If the government does notice, what kind of arguments should be made to convince them that it might be worthwhile to make such an undertaking?
The city of Lebanon, Oh has had great success using their system. It's run by the city's Electrical department for Cable TV & reading electric meters. They added high speed internet access - that's working well also. Of course, the local cable companies hate it - prices are only slightly cheaper, but profits go to the city to improve the service. The City is also looking into offering local phone service as well.
Envy my 5 digit Slashdot User ID!
I have to agree with most of what you say. I have always been a proponent for the private sector providing goods & services. However, here in Tacoma, this all happened as a result of the cable companies not being able to deliver. Like most places, we went through several of em'. From Viacom to TCI and now to AT&T. A few years ago, Viacom/TCI completely drug their feet on providing services to areas within the city. The residents were upset that they couldn't get standard basic TV services etc.. The City of Tacoma decided that adding a cable network to its utilities wasn't so bad an idea as it would extend services to areas that couldn't already get it, as well as provide consumers with a choice (where cable was available). All in all, it's worked out pretty good in Tacoma. Oddly enough, AT&T sure worked their butts off to get service in to previously un-served areas once Click was there. Now, most residents in Tacoma have a choice between Click (the City owned cable), AT&T, Qwest DSL and others.
I'm not sure if this sort of thing would work elsewhere, but in Tacoma, it exists due to the existing private sector companies not providing the services to begin with. Sometimes competition, even from public utilities, is a *good* thing.
No thanks. I don't smoke anymore.
What you are experiencing is likely the classic 'bait and switch.' I am experiencing something similar here in the Baltimore area with ComCast cable. Their website plainly states that cable broadband is available in my area, but when I try to order it, I'm told that their digital upgrade won't be finished until January, and their broadband for at least a month after that.
So what do you do? Cussing and whining about it on here won't help you a bit. Instead, take a screen image of their website, and print it out. Then write a (calm, logical, and objective) letter to your local and state public utilities commission complaining about their misleading advertising. Include the print-out of their website (make sure it has the date and time stamped on it, as well as the URL), and also include the name and (if they use them) service badge/number of whoever it was you talked to on their sales/support staff, along with the date and time of your call. With all the support services randomly taping the calls anyway, it's entirely possible that a record of your call exists, and this recording is admissible in court as evidence should the state (or a bored lawyer who's also getting the shaft) file suit. Again, you need to be courteous and respectful in your phone conversations. Being loud and obnoxious will get you nowhere.
I suspect that one of these choices is incorrect. Correct.
Competition does wonderful things for broadband access. I live in Cedar Falls, Iowa, which runs its own cable and broadband company, they offer cable modem service for $30 a month. AT&T also provides service in the area, and that's who I had for the last two years, until I finally moved to an area serviced by both companies. The difference in service is remarkable.
With AT&T, my connection went down daily for months at a time, and if you ever did have a problem, they wanted you to wait two weeks for them to roll a truck to your house.
I've had one outage in the three months I've had CFU, and that was due to my modem failing. I noticed the problem at 7:10 p.m., called it in, and I was back online at 7:40 p.m. after one of their techs brought a new modem to my house and installed it for me. Try getting that kind of service out of AT&T.
Their lower price has forced AT&T to keep their prices low, as well. AT&T only charges $30 for service here, which often confuses their customer service reps, as we're one of the very few places that have service offered at that price.
It's much easier to get good service out of small local companies than out of the big conglomerates, and it's convenient having my internet access come on the same bill as my water, power, gas, etc.
When in danger or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout. --Robert A. Heinlein
(Sorry for the AC nick; don't have time to register) Just wanted to report that the city of Ashland, Oregon, pop. 20,000, 15 miles north of the CA/OR border on I-5, has a municipal network. It provides both cable tv and internet connectivity via cable modem. I don't know the exact speed but it's much faster than the DSL I had last year in Eugene, OR.
Ashland, BTW, is the home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, which has a regional/national reputation, runs 9 months out of the year and is the base for the town's economy.