If you want to get hot, steaming, demonstrably, angry over the current state of broadband access here in the United States, here you go. The center of technological innovation and disruptive business ideas that is Chattanooga decided to use the fiber optic lines they were already running for smart electricity meters to provide fiber optic broadband to everyone serviced by the public utility if they chose to sign up. The council unanimously voted to approve $200 million for the project. After the fact they applied for and received $111 million in stimulus funding despite actually working on infrastructure rather than iPads for city employees and armored personnel carriers for SWAT teams. During the entire process, Comcast sued them a total of four times to block them from using the lines they were already running to everyones house. They spent millions on a public relations campaign in an attempt to frame the debate around government intrusion and waste. Lobbyists descended on Nashville where they attempted to get legislation passed to overrule the local government. At the end of the whole process the city got their broadband. So a few years later how poorly is the resulting gargantuan government example of waste being run? Every person in the grid can purchase the basic package of 100 mbps high speed internet for around $57 guaranteed. If you want 1,000 mpbs that will run you $69.99 a month. In addition the city offers a business packages with 1 gbps speeds as well as unlimited phone and email. As a result dozens of medium and small businesses have moved to the city and set up shop. The local economy is doing a helluva lot better than the rest of the State with quality of life and education scores going through the roof. Are you angry yet?
Posted on: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 19:37:14 +0000
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