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Judge Tosses Telco Suit Over City-Owned Network
tsa sends along news of the city of Monticello, Minnesota, which was sued by their local telco, Bridgewater Telephone Company, because the city chose to build a fiber optics network of their own. The judge dismissed their complaint of competition by a governmental organization. Quoting: "The judge's ruling is noteworthy for two things: (1) the judge's complete dismissal of Bridgewater Telephone Company's complaint and (2) his obvious anger at the underfunding of Minnesota's state courts. Indeed, the longest footnote in the opinion is an extended jeremiad about how much work judges are under and why it took so long to decide this case."
That's exactly why these services should not be provided by the government, any government. As soon as you can physically force your competition out of business, your role becomes unjustifiable.
Yes, because it's better to have the government run the service than to have a choice between two, five, ten companies competing to give you the best service possible.
[/sarcasm]
If people demand fiber, they'll get it, if only the government would permit companies to lay it down as they please. However, low demand combined with government restriction means "No fiber for you!"