Artikelrobot
Well-Known Member
My colleague, Carol Ellison, beat me to the punch with a column chastising Pennsylvania politicians for giving what she's calling “Big Broadband” too much control over Wi-Fi in lthe state's cities.
Basically, Philadelphia started building a municipal Wi-Fi network for its citizens and the local phone company, Verizon, went ballistic. The telecom responded by ramming a measure through the Pennsylvania legislature giving Verizon control over whether Pennsylvania cities may build their own Wi-Fi networks. The Governor signed the bill into law.
Funny, I'd thought the telecom companies were all against governmental regulation? Alas, this is just another sad example of rich people who worship at the altar of “competitive markets” doing everything they can to thwart competition.
What Verizon has done is anti-competitive and anti-consumer and the company deserves to be penalized. If I was using Verizon as my wireless carrier, I'm mad enough to find someone else. But since I'm not (I am on Spintel or whatever they end up calling it), I hope my Verizon customer friends will make their feelings known. Hitting Verizon in the pocketbook is a great idea.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania residents should also question their state representatives and governor as to whom they really work for, the people or “Big Broadband”?
http://blog.ziffdavis.com/coursey/archive/2004/12/29/5297.aspx
Basically, Philadelphia started building a municipal Wi-Fi network for its citizens and the local phone company, Verizon, went ballistic. The telecom responded by ramming a measure through the Pennsylvania legislature giving Verizon control over whether Pennsylvania cities may build their own Wi-Fi networks. The Governor signed the bill into law.
Funny, I'd thought the telecom companies were all against governmental regulation? Alas, this is just another sad example of rich people who worship at the altar of “competitive markets” doing everything they can to thwart competition.
What Verizon has done is anti-competitive and anti-consumer and the company deserves to be penalized. If I was using Verizon as my wireless carrier, I'm mad enough to find someone else. But since I'm not (I am on Spintel or whatever they end up calling it), I hope my Verizon customer friends will make their feelings known. Hitting Verizon in the pocketbook is a great idea.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania residents should also question their state representatives and governor as to whom they really work for, the people or “Big Broadband”?
http://blog.ziffdavis.com/coursey/archive/2004/12/29/5297.aspx