 
yock
Eschew the False Dichotomy
Premium
join:2000-11-21
Fairfield, OH
| Wow, are they finally getting it? The million dollar question "Will this negatively affect our perception as a broadband player?" rarely gets asked. Before reading this I'd wager it's never been asked! I just hope they take heed and listen to themselves, and that it sets a precedent for lobbyists to come.
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Statistical correlation need not imply causation.
Technical Nirvana | |
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bkucharski
join:2001-11-09
Homer Glen, IL
| Not a good use of City funds! The City of Chicago is also considering providing wi-fi access.
»Windy City Wi-Fi
Why are these cities offering wi-fi?
Are there not better things that cities could do with their budgets? Adding wi-fi is something that cities could offer once they have solved their bigger issues? | |
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woody7
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA
 ·DSL EXTREME
| Re: Not a good use of City funds! maybe they are trying to get new businesses to migrate to their city......I agree with you that there are a lot better things, but businesses are part of their "constituency" also...I hate waste like most, but here in "kalifornia" businesses have all but been driven out...taxed to death, regulated to death, bla bla bla.....without businesses and a strong manufacturing base, there won't be enough money for anything....
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BlooMe | |
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bkucharski
join:2001-11-09
Homer Glen, IL
| Re: Not a good use of City funds! said by woody7  :maybe they are trying to get new businesses to migrate to their city...... I would agree that cities should try to lure business into big cites. They could offer discounted access to the dark fiber running through many cities that go mostly unused. | |
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RadioDoc
Sortofadog
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| They are considering it primarily for use by the city, with availability to common folk just a bonus. Police, fire, building inspections, etc., could particularly use real-time records access over something other than a pokey cell phone connection. | |
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bkucharski
join:2001-11-09
Homer Glen, IL
edit:
March 14th, @06:53PM
| Re: Not a good use of City funds! said by RadioDoc :They are considering it primarily for use by the city, with availability to common folk just a bonus. Police, fire, building inspections, etc., could particularly use real-time records access over something other than a pokey cell phone connection. According to the Chicago Tribune the City of Chicago is planning on selling this service.
»www.chicagotribune.com/news/loca···set=true
Great another City provided service that will most likely have another large cost overrun just like Millennium Park.
»www.ncbg.org/public_works/millen···park.htm
If the City wanted wireless for its employee to utilize why don't they utilize the existing infrastucture that Metricom Ricochet has already installed and not being utilized? | |
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RadioDoc
Sortofadog
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
Chicago, IL
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: Not a good use of City funds! They are proposing it for both public and city uses.
The Metricom stuff is 128 kbps. Hardly acceptable for much of anything these days.
Millennium Park is a different animal entirely. You must be one of those disgruntled city dwellers that's always complaining about Daley. | |
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bkucharski
join:2001-11-09
Homer Glen, IL
| Re: Not a good use of City funds! said by RadioDoc :Millennium Park is a different animal entirely. You must be one of those disgruntled city dwellers that's always complaining about Daley.
I actually work in the City and play in the city but live in the SW Burbs.
I like what Daley what Daley has done to the city. They need to concentrate on bring value to the people who utilize the City for what it has to offer.
Example, for the boaters in Chicago, they constantly raise the fees each year, have a 25% tax for those who who do not live in the City proper, while always making a 4-6 million dollar profit.
Sometimes I just do not understand how this attracts and improves life in the City.
We shall see. | |
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calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
| Re: Not a good use of City funds! ...Note also that the City of Chicago maintains a virtual monopoly on lakefront boat berths for its entire waterfront, some 20 plus miles, and that there isn't really strong marina competition for quite a distance beyond the city limits.
Note also that the City has contracted its marina management out to Westrec Marnias, a California marina management firm.
Some cities want to get into broadband because nobody else is doing it for them. Some want to get in because they think it will be a cash cow. The second group is up for a rude awakening.
calvoiper
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VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! | |
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| bjbrock
join:2002-10-28
Mcalester, OK
| Maybe they are tired of the current broadband providers and being their hostage. Maybe it is what the citizens want. You remember the citzens? I think current providers have forgotten the customer. Since muni's are headed up by elected officials, maybe they are listening to those who voted them in. Unlike state and federal officials who are listening only to the big bucks from the big corporations. I think it is time to elect more rep's. that can still listen to the voters.
Why is it that in every other industry competition is viewed as a good thing, but not the communication industry?
Obviously the current carriers are worried. Worried they me be accountable to their customers again like they were when they were given their gauranteed existence regardless of waste and poor service by the same elected officials they are buying off today.
More power to municipal projects! | |
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DrTCP
Yours truly
Premium,ExMod 1999-04
join:1999-11-09
Round Rock, TX
| Big Business and Texas Politicians Once again, Texas politicians are doing the bidding for big business, in this case mainly SBC, Verizon, Time Warner, etc.
This is nothing with respect to the tax and school reform these politicians are came up in the TX house. Under new scheme, those making less than $90K will be bearing more taxes. In other words, the poor will subsidize the rich instead of everyone bearing the load equally! Good job for those so-called compassionate policians! | |
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| flushls
join:2004-11-02
Joyce, WA
| Re: Big Business and Texas Politicians I was born and raised in Texas lived there for the first 32 years of my life. In that time I saw it go from being a great state and a great place to live, to a third world backwater polluted shithole.
Oh and they need to change the name from Texas to Taxes.
Flushls | |
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squison
join:2001-07-07
Decatur, GA
| Vote him out! Bills like this are easy to fix.. VOTE THEM OUT. If a politician isn't serving the greater public in which he is supposed to serve, get someone that will. Catering to a few large businesses in favor of something the public wants (right?) is an easy way to get yourself replaced.
The thing now is, to make sure other voters know about it..and finding someone better.
When's election time come up for Rep King? | |
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| bjbrock
join:2002-10-28
Mcalester, OK | Re: Vote him out! I couldn't have said it better myself. It is time to oust all elected official that are chosing to listen to big business over the voice of their costituents. It doesn't say "of, by and for" big business. | |
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gammaone
join:2004-05-14
Clovis, CA | Whats next then? If it were to succeed and the city begain providing wifi to the public.. what would be next? Suppose they decided to start providing whatever service your company does? What then?
Cities should not be providing services | |
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djm61
Out of Iraq NOW
join:2001-06-20
Simi Valley, CA
clubs: 
| Re: Whats next then? said by gammaone :If it were to succeed... Cities should not be providing services Hmmm... let's see...
Police Yep, a service.
Fire dept. Yep, a service
Library Yep, a service.
EMT's Yep, a service.
City water system Yep, a service.
I could go on and on. Cities are in the business of providing services to the residents.
The real reason that the ILECs don't wont cities providing broadband access is they can't abide the competition. In most of the places where the municipality has installed BB access for the benefit of their citizens the have done it for a cheaper price and provided better service than the ILECs have on their best day!
Dave
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Secrecy is the beginning of Tyranny! Keep your powder dry; the next four years are going to be interesting! In any mature society the term "civil servant" equates to "civil master"! | |
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| | sancraig
join:2003-11-05
Saint Louis, MO
 ·Charter Pipeline
| Re: Whats next then? But see every city, state and federal govt is bound by certain responibilities. All vary depending on their founders, Most deal with the protection of their citzens,education and taxation.In my opinion anything that is not stated in the constituition as a charged duty is a waste of tax dollars. Sure, cheap broadband would be great but I dont feel that the entire city should be taxed to subsidize it. What about the people that dont even own a computer should their taxes raise cause of this? Or is it for the better good for all..... | |
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pcscdma
Chocobo Chocobo Random Battle
Premium
join:2004-01-14
Winterset, IA
clubs:
| Re: Whats next then? said by sancraig :In my opinion anything that is not stated in the constituition as a charged duty is a waste of tax dollars. »www.house.gov/Constitution/Constitution.html
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"The bad news is that we are told that Michael Powell, one of Washington's better bureaucrats, is calling it quits today after four years at the helm of the Federal Communications Commission." - WSJ 2005/01/21 | |
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| bjbrock
join:2002-10-28
Mcalester, OK
| As long as they have to compete, let the sevices begin.
I doubt the would be able to compete against anything except utility companies. The only thing more wasteful than government are utilities. Utilities are actually rewarded for wasting. | |
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pcscdma
Chocobo Chocobo Random Battle
Premium
join:2004-01-14
Winterset, IA
clubs:
| said by gammaone :Cities should not be providing services I have to agree with that. As of now I am no longer using the services of Winterset Municipal Utilities.
Good thing my notebook has a 2-3 hour battery backup!
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"The bad news is that we are told that Michael Powell, one of Washington's better bureaucrats, is calling it quits today after four years at the helm of the Federal Communications Commission." - WSJ 2005/01/21 | |
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fritzmp
Biker Tux
Premium
join:2001-08-29
Warrenton, VA
clubs: | Not Me Sorry, I don't want an city ISP that runs like the DMV. Besides, companies will still use Independent ISP's for security reasons.
PS. Never trust a Chicago Mayer, they get the dead vote like their daddy's did. | |
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ColdFiltered
join:2005-01-25
Atlanta, GA | A government for the people ... NOT Like unions, its a nice idea that has never been implemented well. As such, this is an example (the billionth) of a politician sticking their nose into business they are not qualified to sniff.
Someone please apply a $0.39 solution. | |
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Broadband Backwater
