Comments on: Clarifying UTOPIA’s Financing Models http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/ Municipal fiber advocacy at its finest. Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:34:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Capt. Video http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-13002 Capt. Video Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:15:32 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-13002 I know nothing about Broadband in Brigham City. I don't believe anyone with availability of normal (good) DSL and Cable broadband would agree to pay $3,000 to have UTOPIA installed. (Well, almost no-one? Would YOU?) UTOPIA (and iProvo) were having a tough time getting people to sign up with a FREE install in most areas, so I can't see people paying $3,000....IF they have normal cable broadband and DSL available. IF Brigham City is unusual in that it does NOT have good cable or DSL, then I can see some interest in UTOPIA. Think of the tens of thousands of people that currently have UTOPIA or iProvo passing their home and have not been convinced to sign up without having to pay $3,000 for an install. ...and yes, UTOPIA has about 12,000? customers...but I believe they need about 40,000 - 50,000 to reach break-even. A very significant shortage with no solution in sight? At the end of the month UTOPIA will provide their annual report to the State that will show us all how they are doing (were doing at the end of June). Showing their revenue per subscriber, etc. I know nothing about Broadband in Brigham City.

I don’t believe anyone with availability of normal (good) DSL and Cable broadband would agree to pay $3,000 to have UTOPIA installed. (Well, almost no-one? Would YOU?)

UTOPIA (and iProvo) were having a tough time getting people to sign up with a FREE install in most areas, so I can’t see people paying $3,000….IF they have normal cable broadband and DSL available.

IF Brigham City is unusual in that it does NOT have good cable or DSL, then I can see some interest in UTOPIA.

Think of the tens of thousands of people that currently have UTOPIA or iProvo passing their home and have not been convinced to sign up without having to pay $3,000 for an install.

…and yes, UTOPIA has about 12,000? customers…but I believe they need about 40,000 – 50,000 to reach break-even. A very significant shortage with no solution in sight?

At the end of the month UTOPIA will provide their annual report to the State that will show us all how they are doing (were doing at the end of June). Showing their revenue per subscriber, etc.

]]> By: luminous http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12936 luminous Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:47:10 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12936 anon, To backup your comments on how bad Digis is. WIFI "broadband" sits on the same radio channels as baby monitors, microwaves, cordless phones, bluetooth, and all kinds of other things. Its the only broadband delivery method that can be knocked out the microwavable burrito you are having for breakfast. Many(all) of these WIFI ISP's transmit at illegal power levels and/or illegal antenna configurations to get over interference, HAM radio operators, each other, etc. Its only a solution if your only other option is dialup. and even then you will need that dialup service as a backup. anon, To backup your comments on how bad Digis is.

WIFI “broadband” sits on the same radio channels as baby monitors, microwaves, cordless phones, bluetooth, and all kinds of other things.

Its the only broadband delivery method that can be knocked out the microwavable burrito you are having for breakfast.

Many(all) of these WIFI ISP’s transmit at illegal power levels and/or illegal antenna configurations to get over interference, HAM radio operators, each other, etc.

Its only a solution if your only other option is dialup. and even then you will need that dialup service as a backup.

]]> By: Jesse http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12934 Jesse Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:04:50 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12934 My brother-in-law was with Digis and wasn't very happy with it. It had quite a bit of downtime and Vonage didn't play nice with the higher latency. He too switched to Comcast. My brother-in-law was with Digis and wasn’t very happy with it. It had quite a bit of downtime and Vonage didn’t play nice with the higher latency. He too switched to Comcast.

]]> By: Anon http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12933 Anon Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:03:18 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12933 A point of correction... Digis uses WiFi, not satellite. I was a customer of a small network that was later purchased by Digis. I can't speak to the reliability or performance of Digis, but my pre-Digis service was pretty lousy, and I was extremely happy when Comcast finally added service in my neighborhood so that I could ditch WiFi-based "broadband". A point of correction… Digis uses WiFi, not satellite. I was a customer of a small network that was later purchased by Digis. I can’t speak to the reliability or performance of Digis, but my pre-Digis service was pretty lousy, and I was extremely happy when Comcast finally added service in my neighborhood so that I could ditch WiFi-based “broadband”.

]]> By: Dean http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12923 Dean Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:46:11 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12923 Capt. Video you obviously do not know much about Brigham city the the majority of town has mediocre at best DSL and cable, while parts of town the only way that they can connect using a broadband connection is to go though a company called Digis that uses satellite to provide there connection. The case is the same in to the majority of the cities that are taking part of UTOPIA. the extension on the deadline till the 20th is to ensure that the whole city gets built out (approximately 1700 homes + numerous businesses) adding to the over ten thousand current customers on the UTOPIA network. Capt. Video you obviously do not know much about Brigham city the the majority of town has mediocre at best DSL and cable, while parts of town the only way that they can connect using a broadband connection is to go though a company called Digis that uses satellite to provide there connection. The case is the same in to the majority of the cities that are taking part of UTOPIA. the extension on the deadline till the 20th is to ensure that the whole city gets built out (approximately 1700 homes + numerous businesses) adding to the over ten thousand current customers on the UTOPIA network.

]]> By: Capt. Video http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12841 Capt. Video Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:07:12 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12841 I don't read it that way. I read it to suggest that any neighborhood in the city that gets sufficient sign-ups will get the service? Interesting the way they answer the "What if I move?" question. Saying the title company may elect to pay off the debt....don't they really mean the title company may ask YOU to pay off the remaining debt? I'm sure the title company will not pay your debt, except with your money from the home sale? Or you may get less for your home if you sell it with the debt attached? The really important question we are all dying to see is just how successful UTOPIA has been at getting people to bite on this offer. Sounds like it's still open until Nov. 20th?? With construction to begin again around Thanksgiving and to be finished by about year end. The we will see if this plan has worked. I believe it will NOT work. Perhaps getting some subscribers in locations with limited other options (if cable internet or only slow DSL is available (parts of Brigham city??)). I just cannot see this being something that will be big enough to move UTOPIA forward. I still believe either they get Obama Money or they are dead in the water again. Connecting a few hundred...or even a few thousand homes will NOT change things for UTOPIA. They need tens of thousands of new homes connecting and I see no way that will happen with the SAA model. But of course, I could be wrong! I don’t read it that way.

I read it to suggest that any neighborhood in the city that gets sufficient sign-ups will get the service?

Interesting the way they answer the “What if I move?” question. Saying the title company may elect to pay off the debt….don’t they really mean the title company may ask YOU to pay off the remaining debt? I’m sure the title company will not pay your debt, except with your money from the home sale? Or you may get less for your home if you sell it with the debt attached?

The really important question we are all dying to see is just how successful UTOPIA has been at getting people to bite on this offer. Sounds like it’s still open until Nov. 20th??

With construction to begin again around Thanksgiving and to be finished by about year end. The we will see if this plan has worked.

I believe it will NOT work. Perhaps getting some subscribers in locations with limited other options (if cable internet or only slow DSL is available (parts of Brigham city??)).

I just cannot see this being something that will be big enough to move UTOPIA forward. I still believe either they get Obama Money or they are dead in the water again.

Connecting a few hundred…or even a few thousand homes will NOT change things for UTOPIA. They need tens of thousands of new homes connecting and I see no way that will happen with the SAA model.

But of course, I could be wrong!

]]> By: Mark http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12839 Mark Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:51:42 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12839 See http://www.utopianet.org/cgi-bin/in1.pl?inview=18. The last answer says that the whole city will be built out after the November 5 city council meeting. Some of Capt Video's questions are answered in other answers at the same location. See http://www.utopianet.org/cgi-bin/in1.pl?inview=18. The last answer says that the whole city will be built out after the November 5 city council meeting. Some of Capt Video’s questions are answered in other answers at the same location.

]]> By: luminous http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12832 luminous Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:21:40 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12832 I can't wait to see more information, will be interesting to see what the success level of this thing is. I can’t wait to see more information, will be interesting to see what the success level of this thing is.

]]> By: Jesse http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12831 Jesse Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:15:08 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12831 Apparently the voluntary SAA was approved by the city council last night. I'm still trying to get some more details before I do a write-up. Apparently the voluntary SAA was approved by the city council last night. I’m still trying to get some more details before I do a write-up.

]]> By: Capt. Video http://www.freeutopia.org/2009/11/05/clarifying-utopias-financing-models/comment-page-1/#comment-12829 Capt. Video Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:49:30 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=836#comment-12829 What does that mean? What passed? (I don't see anything on the Brigham City web site related to UTOPIA?) Has a Special Assessment District (Area) been created? How large is it? (How many homes?) How much is the Assessment? (What is the "deal"?) What does that mean?

What passed? (I don’t see anything on the Brigham City web site related to UTOPIA?)

Has a Special Assessment District (Area) been created? How large is it? (How many homes?)
How much is the Assessment? (What is the “deal”?)

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