Posted on 06/23/2005 6:34:45 AM PDT by Mike Bates
WASHINGTON--When Philadelphia's city government decided to sell wireless access to downtown residents last year, a furious political fight in the state capital erupted.
Verizon stridently opposed the plan, liberal advocacy groups just as emphatically endorsed it, and politicians in Harrisburg ended up approving a compromise bill that effectively let the city of brotherly love do what it wanted.
Now this politechnical dispute is bubbling up from states to Washington, D.C., where lobbyists are pressuring Congress to resolve the question of whether governments or private companies do a better job as Internet service providers.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.com ...
And there's still a question as to whether government or private enterprise does a better job? Aaargh!
Orlando Pulls Plug On Free Internet Service
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Officials in Orlando are pulling the plug on free Internet service.
It turns out that certain downtown "hot spots" just weren't hot enough to justify the program's price tag.
Sunday marked the last day of a pilot program that allowed free Internet access near Lake Eola Park.
The pilot program was only supposed to last six months, but the city kept it going for 17 months.
As many as 200 people using laptop or hand-held computers at once could check e-mail or surf the Web in the wireless zones.
But city officials said that only about 27 people a day took advantage of the program -- not enough to justify the $1,800 the city paid every month for the service.
The service may come back, city officials said, if they can find a way to expand the service beyond a few downtown blocks, and if they can find a company to foot the expense.
If the gov't runs ISPs then the Gov't can control its content. They are already trying to force private companies to keep records of "sites visited" to "protect us". I don't need Big Bird looking at where I get my news in order to "protect me".
Shouldn't that lead read, "Orlando Pulls Plug On 'Free' Internet Service"?
No.
In some quarters, protecting us from ourselves is the principal function of government.
Sure! I'll contact people and make sure the one I live in gets in on this right away. ;-)
They can't even keep the power running all day yet....
I don't see a problem if a city wants to run an ISP as a utility service as long as they don't mandate that they are to be the exclusive (monopoly) provider of ISP services for the area. (And even trying to enforce such a monopoly would be a silly thing since it would be just about impossible...)
Government run ISPs will look like this:
Stand in line for 4 hours to be issued an ID card that will allow you access to the Internet. Don't complain about the wait, don't you know there is a 3-day wait in Singapore?
Trouble connecting? We have a 1-800 number you can call to resolve all issues. Your expected hold time is less than 2 business days. Issues will be resolved by an outsourced company who submitted the lowest bid.
You got married and want to change your user name? We have the form for that right here... Just fill this out, get it notarized by at least 3 people (family members are not permitted) and submit it with a copy of your driver's license and social security card. Please allow 12-16 weeks for processing.
Verizon has invested a lot of money in their nationwide broadband wireless plan that lets you have unlimited wireless access in about 70 cities and includes wireless 50k speeds everywhere else on the verizon network. It costs 80 dollars per month plus taxes which probably help fund these "free" wireless hot spots from the govt.
Free wireless from the govt. sounds good, but how "free" is it ?
Is this run by the Department of Virtue and Vice(or somesuch)?
I say no. I can see it now. "Your start page has been permanantly set to the 'City of xxxx' propaganda homepage so we may better assist you in your needs for government service and track your internet use to better serve you."
In addition to prices regularly rising (the utility's costs always increase, absent competition) it also inevitably turns into the equivalent of the DMV in terms of customer service.
Absolutely not. Have you looked at the 'fees' on your city owned utility bill lately? The same thing will happen if municipalities get a hold of the internet.
And what gave Verizon the authority to deny anybody else from doing it?
Michigan's utility deregulation plan is so pathetic that the little utilities are branching out into satellite ISP! Wildblue is going online July 1st, only costs $49.99 a month (the cheapest package with a download speed of 512kps), gives you 5 email names with 10MB per name, and is supposed to be a LOT more reliable than DirectWay! I'm hoping to get this when our house is complete next month. I'm also planning on no land line phone -- FREEDOM!
Competition is a VERY good thing. Bye Bye, AOHell!
If the gov't runs ISPs then the Gov't can control its content. They are already trying to force private companies to keep records of "sites visited" to "protect us". I don't need Big Bird looking at where I get my news in order to "protect me".
China anyone???
Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel!
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