San Francisco Experiencing Buyer's Remorse?
It seems that San Francisco is re-thinking the idea of a partnership with Google and Earthlink to provide the city with a WiFi network. The city has cited that while WiFi is quick and cheap, it's not truly competitive with a fiber-optic network and signals might not penetrate buildings in low-income neighborhoods, one of the main selling points of WiFi. The model sounds all too familiar: build a network and act as a wholesaler to multiple private service providers.
Part of the reconsideration has to do with the fast-track way that WiFi was ramrodded through. Studies show that not all options were considered when selecting a system and there's a lot of concern that the deal would amount to little more than an extra monopoly in the city. Good thing the city it starting to back off on this one.
(See articles here, here and here.
Stop Statewide Franchising!
Senate Bill 209 has passed committee and will be going before the whole of the Senate for a vote. This bill would allow state-wide franchising of telecommunications services and would destroy universal access. During a breakfast sponsored by the Utah Technology Council this morning, Both House Speaker Greg Curtis and Senate President John Valentine acknowledged that it would allow new entrants to the market to cherry-pick only the most profitable areas to serve. This cannot be allowed to come to pass.
I urge you to contact your legislators as soon as possible and urge them to oppose passage of this bill.