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Verizon Seeks To Nix Fee-Based Municipal Wireless Grids
millermp writes "It looks like Verizon has succeeded in banning municipal WiFi networks in Pennsylvania. Since Verizon is looking to broadband service to fuel its growth, it calls municipal WiFi 'unfair competition.' This bill is following similar legislation earlier this year in Utah, Louisiana, and Florida." The bill has yet to be signed by Pennsylvania's governor, and as the story says, does not ban municipal wireless per se, but would place great restrictions on how it could be funded.
Meh, I'll just get verizon's fiber to the home service. Then setup a Less Networks node, roll my own NoCat Auth AP or join one of the great Area Wide Wireless networks.
Verizon is just a 500lb gorilla that can't see more than 2inches infront of its face!
What could possibly go wrong?
Nowhere does it prevent municipalities from offering public networks such as the one already deployed in Altoona, PA.
Verizon SUCKS. I have ordered and prequalified for DSL 7 times, yet I am unable to get it because Verizon has almost halted the DSL rollout in Texas.
if there's competition in the market, service qualities will go up and prices will go down. A government monopoly funded by tax dollars will give government style service with no incentive to keep costs down. (emphasis mine) Of course, the key here is competition in the market. Where I live, I would pay more than double for cable service than someone who lives across town, because two different providers have mini- monopolies in each area. Of course, we wanted to go with the cheaper provider (for basically the same level of service), but were told that we had no choice because of our location. Hmm... they have no competition in our neighborhood, so it seems that there is no incentive to keep costs down...
For many things, what you say is exactly right. The problem is, there will always be small cases here and there that a true free market system simply fails.
Some people think that having broadband helps economic prospects. If that is true, and that Verizon and the other ISPs can't provide it, why let that be an excuse to hold back other parts of economic progress?
There are cities that provide utilities and happen to do them better than a for-profit company can do.
This is why I prefer a local cooperative that is mandated by the government not to make a profit; that anything over expenses is voted on by its members as to its use (refund, reinvestment). It's worked for credit unions. Where else could a 23 year old get a $5,000 line of credit witha 9.9% fixed interest rate, and free bill pay and internet banking?
You have two hands and one brain, so always code twice as much as you think!
Perhaps this is a way for Verizon to force themselves into the wireless throughput game? Perhaps it prevents WISPs from forming.
Here in Pittsburgh, there ain't much going on, 'cept at CMU, and one of the local mom and pop shops. There are a few players, but none who talkabout it -- it's taboo here, most people are happy with their dialup (Ugh!).
Zhrodague.net - I do projects and stuff too.