said by Midak :

That's it, don't allow your community to advance into the 21st Century.

said by ppcpunk :

What you fail to understand is that setting up a municipal network is not the same as getting into content business/entertainment business.

What you also don't understand is that when such thing is set up you set and environment that is healthy for competition from multiple content providers.

said by hailinfantry :

How about the private companies bring the town into the 21st century?

said by hailinfantry :

It doesn't foster fair competition, because their pricing can and probably will be predatory since operating costs can be fortified with muni bonds and tax dollars before becoming self-sustaining.

said by pcscdma :

They aren't. That's the whole point of this.

How is this town behind other towns with similar demographics? They have access to at least 3Mbps DSL (in areas that have the loop requirement met) and Cable. The coverage wouldn't be much better in a muni system as they'd have to make the investment to hang and bury the fiber...not to mention light it all.

said by ppcpunk :

I don't see a need for competition between various companies trying to provide a wire to my house for services.

Why not one wire that can deliver all the services? Why not do it once and let all the companies play on an equal field?

Yes if taking out the fact a private company will make less money because they don't get to use the public rights of way to setup their own private networks to be able to charge us whatever they want and only upgrade services when they absolutely have to well then yeah that's "undermining and undercutting the competition."

But then I wonder why it is we have municipal airports? You think those are a bad idea too?

said by ppcpunk :

Do I honestly think any what company will want to share what infrastructure with Verizon?

Do I think any company will want to share fiber to your house with verizon - a company like say AOL? Uhhh yes? Why not? You can choose to not make any money or you can choose to make money... I don't understand what you are saying.

Municipal networks are not built to compete with - they are built and they happen to compete with - if those companies like TWC/Comcast/whoever want to get on the network and provide service I highly doubt the muni would decline to have more competition.

The network is there to provide a network for private companies to provider services - not to make tons of money on over priced cable tv.

said by ppcpunk :

That is coming from me - But I think when faced with making no money or some money they will choose some money over none.

Now regarding their networks - yes they do want their own networks but guess what - you don't get everything you want in life just like you don't get to use public rights of way if the public doesn't want you to.

The only reason they get to have their private networks is because we let them - it is not a right it is a privilege.

Yes it is predatory to their pricing structure... But then again their pricing structure could be said to be predatory on the people they serve and get to enjoy for the most part because of quasi-monopolies and yes I know over builders can - when the franchise agreements are up - come in and build another network but we all know that isn't going to happen but we do know where it does happen cable rates are lower and they still make profits hand over fist. So I don't think anyone cares about anything being "predatory to their pricing structure."