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BellSouth Points Out The Unfair Legislation For Which They Lobbied
from the might-not-want-to-highlight-that dept
Back in November 2005, we wrote about how Tropos was powering a WiFi mesh network in the devastated city of New Orleans, and commented that despite reservations about the applicability of WiFi to Wide Area deployments, the nature of the emergency was such that a mesh network was the best choice possible to get the city re-connected ASAP. Today, an estimated 15,000 users connect to the muni network in a city where a third of the inhabitants still can't access a working phone line. We also commented on how the mesh network was providing service up to 512Kbps, which went against a state law limiting municipal services to 128Kbps or less. Well, the time has come for BellSouth to declare the 'hurricane honeymoon' over, and at a time when their public relations are not particularly great, are pulling the telecom equivalent of telling jokes about the deceased at a funeral, or jokes about the bride's fidelity at a wedding: The telco lobbyists are seeking enforcement of the legislation they probably wrote in the first place, and seeking to shut down the muni WiFi in the Big Easy. The New Orleans mayor and CIO say they will not comply with an order to shut off the network - preferring jail to disconnecting their citizens. Noble, perhaps, yet where were they when these questionable laws were getting put on the books?
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Oh...K
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kbps?
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Not as Big or as Easy
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What kind of reporting is that? Were they or were they not involved in writing the bill? If you can't find out, then don't bring up the point.
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Corporate Influence...absolutely!
Further info about Noble Ellington--the legislative "author"--and ALEC--the corporate-controlled organization that wrote the law:
http://lafayetteprofiber.com/Blog/2005/08/council-helps-shape-legislation-in.html
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Re: Corporate Influence...absolutely!
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????
why is there a law limiting services to 128kbps or less..... whos the idot who made that law? what good does it do? NONE. i cant believe it.. and the mayor and CIO saying they wont shut off Wifi to the citizens, and they would rather face jail? who do they think they are???!?? what kind of Mayor is that? who doesnt abide by the Law.. who knows what other laws he Dismisses... and rather go to jail for...
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Re: Re: Corporate Influence...absolutely!
You are disturbed by the fact that a legislator submitted a law that was written by corporate interests. Me too. But I think this is common in state legislatures--so common as to be unremarkable. It is not a peculiarity of Lousiana by any means.
The guy, "Noble" Ellington, represents one of the most rural and depressed areas of the "delta" (which is actually in North Louisiana). His constituents care about a whole different class of issues and only care that he delivers in that range. Campaign contributions speak loudly. Again, I don't think its rare: I think it common. (He currently has a bill prefiled that will install in Louisiana a state franchising bill that would institute all the worst parts of that idea--including an explicit prohibition of any requirement that a phone company serve the whole community and not just the richest part.
He's a kept man. But I guess no one will bother to run against him.
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