For whom the Bell tolls
Being one of the thousands of geeks that traverse the Internet on your phone
company's DSL pipes or your Cable Co's cable lines, you probably are unaware of
the disservice these companies are doing to you behind your back.� In the
beginning of the broadband revolution the United States led the world in
broadband deployment.� By the end of 2004, we fell to a meager 13th.
While countries like Korea deliver 25 megabit per second or more connections
for less than $15 a month to their citizens, we are forced to continue to pay an
average of $50 per month for speeds 1/25th of that of other countries.� If
you were to listen to the spin generated by the major telcos (SBC, Verizon,
Qwest, BellSouth) and the major Cable Cos (Time Warner, Comcast, Cox, Adelphia)
they would have you believe competition in broadband services exists.� But
with most people only having the choice between their local telephone company and
their local cable company, not much of a choice can be made.
These companies use their monopoly positions to maintain a
strangle hold on competition.� Using their massive profits (SBC earned
nearly $9 billion in profit last year) they are able to fund lobbying efforts on
a scale that dwarfs their own research and development budgets.� With many
members of state and local governments in their back pockets, they are able to
erect legal and regulatory hurdles that stifle competition.
Currently several cities across the country are looking at providing free or
low cost broadband services to their residence.� These cities are being
forced to look at these alternatives because of the slow or none existent
network build out by these major companies who refuse to expand services in their area.�
Alas, the telephone and cable companies are already one step ahead.� In
14 states their lobbying efforts have produced laws banning or hindering
municipal governments from offering telecommunications services, despite the
1996 Telecommunication act stating that no state shall pass a law restricting
"any entity" from communicating in the telecommunications field.�
If you can think back 10 years or so, who did you buy Internet access from?�
Who were the people and companies that brought the Internet to your home?�
Was it SBC or Time Warner or was it some small company that built their own
network from the ground up?
Today, the very companies that helped create the Internet business and
brought service to your door are being squeezed out by the anti-competitive acts
of your local cable and telephone companies.� Only after these small
companies built the networks with their blood sweat and tears did the giant
corporations move into stake claim.� While telephone and cable companies
continue to raise prices year-after-year, ISPs continue to lower them while
finding ways to provide better service.
If you are happy with the current piss-poor service you are receiving from
your local phone company's support reps from India and the high prices you are
currently paying, than by-all-means, continue doing so.� But if you want a
future of choice, great service, and ultimately lower costs, than support your
local ISPs.�
Have fun,
j
P.S.� Check out my Speak-n-spell over there on the left.� Say it!
P.S.S.� Buy some of my shit!� Click on the shirt on the left.�
There is sure to be more worthless crap to come!
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