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Fiber Optic Broadband Only Works When Your Big Monopoly Telco Delivers It
from the things-are-different-now.--we're-in-charge dept
While most of the stories about muni-broadband these days focus on incumbent telcos battling muni-WiFi, it wasn't that long ago that all the stories were about them battling muni-fiber installs -- like the kind that have helped bring big new businesses to various communities and which have been done in ways that let everyone (including companies) benefit without being a government operated utility. As in the case with WiFi, the telcos would complain about how the technology wasn't good enough. It won't surprise anyone, of course, to find out that what they really meant was that it wasn't good enough until they, and they alone, could offer it. Broadband Reports points out that AT&T (then SBC) was trash talking a muni-fiber project in Illinois less than a year and a half ago -- claiming that the technology was unproven and saying they had "serious concerns" about the technology (while also mocking the idea that anyone would need so much bandwidth: "What are you going to do with 20Mbps?"). So here it is, just a little while later, and AT&T is excited to introduce their own fiber optic offering in the same region. In fact, they're positive that fiber will become "standard." Funny how they become believers just as they're ready to offer it (even if their offering isn't even as good as the original muni-fiber that was being discussed).
Reader Comments
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I could think of a few things...
Bandwidth will be a large part of every sort of business as our world continues in it's technological boom. It may be fizzling, however it has changed the course of the world forever. The rest of the world will catch up or be left behind. How many gas stations have attendants that fill your tank? How many accept credit/debit cards? Every part of business is run by computers in this day and age.
I would hope Universities, Hospitals, Librarys and many other things would have access like this. As more people get it the prices will drop. That's the bottom line. We don't de-evolve. Well there are some Elephants.... nevermind I digress heh.
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Re: I could think of a few things...
Screw buisnesses, how about us die hard gamers? We need serious up and down pipes. Persoanlly, id love a fiber optic jacked into my house straigh off the backbone, but SBC take theirs and shove it.
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Re: I could think of a few things...
How many gas stations have attendants that fill your tank?
Pretty much just the ones in Michigan and New Jersey.
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Re: I could think of a few things...
How many gas stations have attendants that fill your tank? Pretty much just the ones in Michigan and New Jersey.
And all the ones in Oregon, where it's compulsory.
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Re: I could think of a few things...
FIrst off, I am displeased to hear about a 20Mbps connection when I am still sitting 3 miles from DSL and less than a mile from cable and I can not get it..... for 8 YEARS!!! I think they need to expand coverage of regular DSL/Cable before they start making these "super" connections.
Also, Theres a few gas stations here in South MS that have people that fill your car.
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