Sunday, November 21, 2004
Connectivity spells J.O.B.S., the sequel
Esme Vos, writing to the Dewayne-Net Technology List, dewayne-net at warpspeed dot com, points to the story of Scottsburg, Indiana.
The city asked Verizon for broadband. Answer: No, not profitable enough.
Vos writes:
The city asked Verizon for broadband. Answer: No, not profitable enough.
Vos writes:
Chrysler told [the local Chrysler repair shop] that if they do not get fast, reliable Internet access, they would have to close the shop (losing 60 jobs). Homeworkers who do medical transcription work also told the mayor that they would have to move elsewhere if the town did not get high-speed Internet service.Vos pleads
Scottsburg was able to deploy a wireless broadband network within three months. It cost $385,000 and they have 100 customers in the first year of operation. They use Alvarion gear (which the Owensboro utility also uses for their wireless network). They charge $35 per month for 512 Kbps up/down and $200 per month for a T1 line. Mayor Graham estimates that the school system saves $6000 per month in telecommunications costs (an amount that could pay for another teacher).
This is why it is so important to give municipalities the option of providing telecommunications services. The passage of House Bill 30 in Pennsylvania takes away that option.Esme Vos' keeps the "well worth reading" MuniWireless site.
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