Octopussy2
Premium
join:2003-03-30
Batavia, IL
| Bottom line
All those incumbents care about is their bottom line. Don't think for one second they wouldn't install fiber to the home if it wasn't prosperous for THEM to do so. They know that FTTP is a far superior technology, it just isn't prosperous for them to rollout those services to everyone, so they say fiber is an unproven technology (like in the Tri-Cities) or they try to refocus the campaign on something completely different then all the benefits a FTTP system can bring to a community.
One can only hope voters see through this in Lafayette and the Tri-Cities.
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It's muni-licious! »www.tricitybroadband.com |
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dg2
Premium
join:2004-01-22
Lowell, AR
 ·Cox HSI
| Don't take Cox's word for it
As a Cox subscriber, in their "Middle America Cox" (MAC) division along with Lafayette, I encourage Lafayette to do their own research and not listen to Cox. MAC was passed over for three upgrades in a row. After months of questions going unanswered, and empty promises unfulfilled, we learned yesterday that MAC is finally getting what all other Cox subscribers have had for years - but so far only in Southern Louisiana! Some coincidence?
Check out the Cox forum (»Cox HSI) for more details.
Lafayette government - don't trust Cox just yet! Once you drop this, you're back at their mercy!
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"Middle America Cox" customers passed over for three upgrades, but still saw rates equal to the upgraded markets. Most of MAC still running at 1/4 speed for the same rate. Cox has finally begun to upgrade MAC - will they complete the job? When? |
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Soud
join:2000-10-15
Atlanta, GA | Business is business
As much as I hate what the companies are doing, I gotta admit, I would do the same thing. You gotta do whatever takes to make money. Its genious |
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TechieZero
Tools Are Using Me
Premium
join:2002-01-25
Wesley Chapel, FL
| said by Soud  :
As much as I hate what the companies are doing, I gotta admit, I would do the same thing. You gotta do whatever takes to make money. Its genious
To me it boarders on CRIMINAL.
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Un-farenheit 9/11 »slate.msn.com/id/2102723/ |
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rpeAMP
join:2000-12-02
San Antonio, TX
| said by TechieZero :
said by Soud :
As much as I hate what the companies are doing, I gotta admit, I would do the same thing. You gotta do whatever takes to make money. Its genious
To me it boarders on CRIMINAL.
Please explain. |
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BadHat
Hook'M Horns
Premium
join:2003-10-14
Rosa's Place
clubs:  
 ·AT&T U-Verse
| reply to TechieZero
said by TechieZero :
To me it boarders on CRIMINAL.
It's BAU. Nothing criminal about it. I have an issue I want you to favor, I build it up and trash the opponent. Just like politics...
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»www.drwp.net/ ~ Save a Weiner Dog! "Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know "why" I look this way. I've traveled a long way and some of the roads weren't paved." ~ Will Rogers |
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TACSPEED
Premium
join:2001-04-14
Tacoma, WA
·Advanced Stream
| reply to dg2
Re: Don't take Cox's word for it
No coincidence. TCI did the same thing here in Tacoma. For years, TCI would not upgrade the cable system in Tacoma. As soon as the city of Tacoma decided to build Click!, TCI started upgrading the their cable system.
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Fiber Optics is the future of high-speed internet access. Stop by the BBR Fiber Optic Forum. |
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markopoleo
join:2003-04-02
Bonne Terre, MO
·Charter Pipeline
| Most small towns do this for the sole purpose..
of getting the major cable/DSL companies to expand/upgrade service so they don't have to do it themselves.
And it works most the time, I remember reading this small town of less that 3000 people was going to put in own wireless ISP because they could not get a cable comany only a few miles away to provide cable, so after they made known there intentions the cable company offered to give everyone cable modem access within a year.
Saved the town a million bucks or so  |
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cmos100
join:2004-08-24
Lafayette, LA | reply to dg2
Re: Don't take Cox's word for it
You don't know anything about Lafayette politics if you think this is a good idea. |
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dg2
Premium
join:2004-01-22
Lowell, AR
·Cox HSI
| You're right. I don't know a single thing about Lafayette politics, but I do know Cox and how Cox has treated its customers in the MAC region. I also know that southern Louisiana is the VERY FIRST part of MAC to receive the current upgrades, which are the third round MAC has been left out of.
I'm not saying Lafayette should build this because I don't know if it's a good idea or not. What I do know is that if Cox is opposing it, it's worth looking into.
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"Middle America Cox" customers passed over for three upgrades, but still saw rates equal to the upgraded markets. Most of MAC still running at 1/4 speed for the same rate. Cox has finally begun to upgrade MAC - will they complete the job? When? |
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8744675
join:2000-10-10
Decatur, GA | If only...
If only the encumbants would spend all that money and time improving their own service, instead of trying to squash a competitor, we wouldn't be reading this article. |
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Octopussy2
Premium
join:2003-03-30
Batavia, IL
| And don't forget providing quality service at bargain prices....
Munis can offer local service with local accountability and the money will stay in the community. What more could people ask for?
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It's muni-licious! »www.tricitybroadband.com |
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BillRoland
Premium
join:2001-01-21
Ocala, FL
clubs:
·Cox HSI
| No coincidence
Its no coincidence that Cox is now integrating Lafayette into its nationwide Cox.net backbone (a huge boost in speed from 1024/128 to 4000/512Kbps) to kick the muni effort in the teeth.
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"Don't steal. The government hates competition." |
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RealityChecker
@65.247.x.x
| reply to cmos100
Re: Don't take Cox's word for it
The politics of this area is everything with this deal. No state does politics like Louisiana, from the King Fish Long, to Edwin Edwards. If you think that Cox is worried more about lining there pockets, you don't know greed till you have met the people behind LUS. By the way check out LUS' rates for utilities verses the corporately held entities that surround the Parish. This will give you a clue as to what they are all about. Is it any coincidence that this plan has been well known to everyone in the Lafayette area for about 4 years, but no move for it was made until the new Governor came into power. Is it sheer coincidence that she is from Lafayette, and got her start DEEP in the Lafayette political pull group. Money, Money, MONEY, and now POWER! Always a great combination when greed is the motivation. However knowing Louisiana as I do I am sure they will vote for it then wonder what happened when there is only LUS left and there rates go through the roof. |
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dzgg
@cox.net
| Imagine if
Just imagine if the Muni-effort is actually approved. Would get really interesting then. Just the possibility may very well work to get Lafayette LA what they should have had for a long time now, both price and speed wise.
Sadly, big business can't find their assess with a compass, flashlight, and a whole team of proctology's's though as they continue to sink tons of money for the wrong reasons with total disregard for the consumer. |
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wolfox
Gentle Wolfox
join:2002-11-27
Dunnellon, FL
| reply to RealityChecker
Re: Don't take Cox's word for it
There is always going to be a struggle for power and money no matter where you live. I will give you an example:
Where I live, Cox held out on cable modems and digital broadband/T.V. service for 2 years after SBC deployed their DSL network. Why? Because Cox wanted the city to sign a franchise agreement that GUARANTEED them monopolistic control in the area before they bothered with upgrade, or HSI deployment. The city finally awarded them a 10 year franchise agreement and within a year, offered digital and HSI service. A neighboring town just 10 miles away had these advanced services at about the same time SBC came to bat with DSL.
You will *never* see a rival T.V. entertainment network anywhere else in this town unless it is piped in on satellite. Can't wait to see what schenanigans will arise next when the franchise agreement expires here in a few more years. Oh, and also being part of the M.A.C. service region - yep, their best "home" class, let alone business class offerings are only 1/6 the offering SBC provisions. I really want to see Cox improve their network because I really want to see the next freebie SBC tosses my way to keep my business. 
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Nothwest Arkansas' ONLY all Techno Radio Webcast, powered by SBC DSL! |
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ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| reply to Octopussy2
Re: Bottom line
Incumbents are not the only one's that care about their bottom line. Any privately held or publicly traded company (ahem, business) is operating for the purpose of making a profit. Did you forget this? If they weren't, they'd be a not-for-profit entity.
So, while the propaganda coming from all parties may not be valid, don't blame a business for trying to operate in a profitable manner. If no business were to seek a profit you would be doing without a heck of a lot of technology and material goods in your personal life.
Imagine what kind of vehicle you would be driving if all those for-profit automakers closed up shop because they couldn't make a bottom line, or a better bottom line to make better cars next year. |
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ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| reply to TechieZero
Re: Business is business
said by TechieZero :
said by Soud :
As much as I hate what the companies are doing, I gotta admit, I would do the same thing. You gotta do whatever takes to make money. Its genious
To me it boarders on CRIMINAL.
And thankfully you are not the law. If it were criminal then the state and federal regulating entities would either be doing something about it, or ignoring it. |
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ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| reply to markopoleo
Re: Most small towns do this for the sole purpose..
Most, maybe, but not all. Some townships are doing this just to be free of what they perceive are high broadband rates. If they can afford to deploy their own infrastructure and operate it at a non-loss then power to them.
Unfortunately, I have seen not-so-small townships try exactly this and get themselves over their heads. In the end, several of these have run well into the red with a condition they cannot even begin to operate. I know of one locally that did this even when both cableco and telco operators were present with modern broadband well before the township got the proverbial hair up their butts.
But, the is an underlying concern that most residents probably should be addressing if not already haven done so: should the township's entire population pay for such a service when only a portion is wanting the service? While you and I may be wanting such a favorable offering, if it can be offered, I know of a lot of people contrary to my position. |
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ParanoiaInc
join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA
| reply to 8744675
Re: If only...
Um, not in every case. In concept that is the goal, but reality is not always successful. Heck, broadband isn't the only sector where money seems to get soaked up without successful results.
For instance, Public Television is aa joke in Georgia. Taxpayer money, corporate funding, etc. has done nothing to produce results in converting analog PBS broadcast to digital broadcasts. How is it that Greenville, SC can offer DTV and yet Atlanta cannot?
Someone oaked up some money in their convenient manner and produced zero success. BTW, Marietta, GA tried the MUNI-thing and failed miserably. Sure, you can vote the politicians out of office, but that doesn't recover spent monies and a failed attempt. |
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