Private firms fight city-owned networks

Here is an excerpt from a very interesting article I stumbled on in MSNBC. I live in a small midwestern town in missouri and Broadband internet in private homes is very costly if you can even get it. This article more than explains what can be done about it and why it has not...it all boils down to greed and big business.

What do you think AO members?

Quote:

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Frustrated with the high cost and slow pace of broadband deployment in much of the country, 511 publicly owned utilities now provide telecom services for residents, schools, city agencies and their internal operations, up nearly 14 percent from a year ago, according to the American Public Power Association.
Some utilities built networks from scratch. Others extended infrastructure they already had, such as fiber-optic lines and networking equipment needed to monitor power flow or remote substations.
Not surprisingly, big phone and cable companies hate this, and have fought with some success to block public gas, water and electric utilities from providing telecom services. Eleven states bar or restrict the practice, sometimes by imposing artificial costs on municipal telecoms so the prices they charge end up closer to what private companies offer.
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But things may be looking up for municipal telecoms —

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The whole story can be found here.

This is weird, i dont understand why it is so hard for you gusy to get broadband connection. It was an interesting post, thanks Aeallison. -Ebo

Interesting, but I have to ask why the firms are fighting the city-owned networks if it belongs to them? If getting a broadband connection is as hard or has become a hassle (that whole law thing is weird, IMO) than why go through it? Don't most companies require or use a faster connection anyways? Good post man, Hopefully the situation for you guys will get better.