While we fiddle with poor (slow) broadband penetration and the incumbent telco’s try to stop any other approaches, such as municipally backed networks, South Korea surges (the US is currently 13th in global broadband penetration). Birgitta Forsberg takes a look at South Korea’s winning ways.
Category: Broadband
Telco’s have failed US on Broadband
Broadband is the perfect example. The private market has failed the US so far. At the beginning, we led the world in broadband deployment. But by 2004, we ranked an embarrassing 13th. There are many places, like Philadelphia, where service is lacking. And there are many places, like San Francisco, where competition is lacking. The result of the duopoly that currently defines “competition” is that prices and service suck. We’re the world’s leader in Internet technology – except that we’re not.
SBC Pushes Municipal WiFi Ban in Texas
A Texas legislator has filed a massive telecommunications bill in Austin this session that, in part, bans Texas cities from participating in wireless information networks. SBC Communications said cities should be allowed to offer wireless Internet access in public places, such as parks and libraries. But a company spokesman said they should not directly compete with private enterprises by providing services to residents and businesses.
SBC is our local monopoly telco provider.
Madison WiFi – SkyCable TV/AOL
Andrew Wallmeyer and Dinesh Ramde report that the City has begun negotiating with SkyCable TV of Madison for local WiFi coverage. I’ve emailed Mayor Dave and County Exec Kathleen Falk urging them to make sure that the connectivity is fully asymmetrical (full speed, BOTH directions). This is essential for knowledge workers (video conferencing, vpn, telnet, ftp and multimedia).
I hope they don’t blow it and view internet access like TV, as SBC is doing (spending big bucks from their installed base trying to shove video down everyone’s throats).
Municipal Wireless – Ron Sege on the politics
Interesting look at the politics and lobbying behind efforts to stop the spread of municipally owned broadband networks. Glenn Fleishman.
Indiana’s Anti-Municipal Broadband Legislation (Did not pass)
News.com on the lobbying behind the failed Indiana bill that would have killed any type of municipal broadband (Local telco monopoly SBC was behind this).
Philadelphia WiFi: Why are the incumbent telco’s fighting this?
Dianah Neff (Philadelphia’s CIO):
Why are Wireless Philadelphia and other city wireless programs such a big threat? More precisely, why do the big boys keep trying to kill our Wi-Fi networks?
Tell me who among incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs)–have deployed ubiquitous, high-speed wireless networks that support roaming/mobile capabilities. No ILEC. Who provides high-speed, broadband, ubiquitous services at dial-up rates for the underserved populations? No ILEC. Who is working to get equipment and training into the homes of low-income and disadvantaged portions of our community? Again, no ILEC.
Madison WiFi/Broadband: Incumbent Telco’s Dirty Bomb
Glenn Fleishman on incumbent telco’s (SBC & Verizon) latest lobbying/pr efforts to thwart municipally owned broadband systems:
There’s a lot more readily available details about the New Millennium Research Council than I realized: The NMRC is the co-publisher of a report that says municipal broadband is anti-competitive and a waste of taxpayer dollars. eWeek broke the news yesterday that they’re a division of Issue Dynamics, Inc., a group that specializes in creating the appearance of grassroots and independent support for ideas on behalf of their clients. They don’t hide this speciality.
The NMRC lists this relationship on their About page; I’m embarrassed that I missed noting this: “The NMRC is an independent project of Issue Dynamics, Inc. (IDI), a consumer and public affairs consulting firm that specializes in developing win-win solutions to complex policy issues.” (IDI lists the US Internet Industry Association as a client; the head of the USIAA wrote part of the NMRC report.)
An email correspondent who prefers to remain anonymous but has had dealings with the NMRC and IDI wrote in to note, “If you need an ‘independent’ third party to provide support for your particular issue interest, IDI will find an independent expert who will write a supportive piece for you—the report will then be issued by the NMRC or another front org. There is no direct money passing from the corporation to the person writing the research, and as a technical matter, the funding for NMRC comes directly from IDI. However, people like Verizon pay IDI a pretty stiff retainer, and IDI essentially uses part of that to fund NMRC.”
Glenn also takes a look at fiber to the home projects in Palo Alto, Provo, UT and Lafayette, LA. Keep in mind that the US lags many other countries in true high speed (20mpbs+), economical two way broadband.
Australian Broadband: 8mbps for 29.99/month
We continue to fall behind true broadband adoption, with Australians soon to receive 8 to 20mbps service.
SBC & AT&T: A Merger of Disappointment with Disaster?
What happens if you merge a disappointment with a disaster?
You get SBC-AT&T.
In most corporate mergers, the shareholders of at least one company rejoice. But it’s hard to find a clear winner in the proposed acquisition of AT&T by SBC Communications.
AT&T, the nation’s once-proud phone monopoly, is a shadow of its former self. It lost $6.1 billion last year, and its sales have shrunk for five consecutive years as it has shed most of its operations except for business services. Its stock has fallen by almost 72 percent during the past five years.
I have a hard time seeing much good coming from this, other than a more concentrated lobby machine which ultimately works against the public…