[Tfug] Sadly Comcastic!

[George Cohn]

Angus Scott-Fleming wrote:
> 
>     In fact, the best solution to providing competition and making broadband 
>     consumers coveted by providers does not lie in federal legislation; it is 
>     found in breaking the monopoly service providers like Comcast have with 
>     local governments. 
> --------- Included Stuff Ends ---------
> Full story: http://www.reason.com/news/printer/123174.html
> 
> Anyone have any ideas how to inject _REAL_ competition back into the broadband 
> market?
>

Having been directly involved in the "franchise wars", during the late 
'70's, I can tell you that competition "ain't gonna happen here".

The politics that goes in to getting a franchise will almost guarantee 
that there will never be any "overbuilds" here.  But in the few places 
where it has been allowed, if you don't like cable company A, just call 
cable company B and see how fast they trip over each other trying to 
please you.

Just to give you an idea of what went on in the city during that period, 
there were ten companies vying for the lucrative cable contract for the 
City of Tucson.

The city hired a consultant, paid them lots of our tax dollars to 
evaluate all the proposals, then gave the contract to the number four 
ranked company on the consultants list!

Why?  Because the number four company met with the city council an hour 
before the decision was announced.  Anyone want to guess what went on in 
that meeting?  ;-)

George Cohn