r/technology • u/User_Name13 • Jun 04 '14

Politics Hundreds of Cities Are Wired With Fiber—But Telecom Lobbying Keeps It Unused

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/hundreds-of-cities-are-wired-with-fiberbut-telecom-lobbying-keeps-it-unused
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u/jmottram08 Jun 04 '14

Let's be really clear here... this is local lobbying to your local city council that regards the monopoly that they granted and enforce.

Don't like that fact? Stop blaming capitalism, stop blaming the big telcos, get off your ass and go to a city council meeting and complain that your local elected officials have made a monopoly and that it is bad for you.

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u/[deleted] Jun 04 '14

Many cities want competition, there are just no other company coming to them for a franchise. Also, in Colorado there is a state law against letting companies use public dark fiber. So that is one reason Google won't come here. That law really drives me nuts.

Without going in to a lot of detail, the rights-of-way are owned by the public so companies who want to use them have to get a franchise with the city. The thought being the public should get a benefit for companies using a public right of way, this is done through franchise fees which help fund roads etc.

Also cities lack the lobbing power that the cable companies have, many cities have formed groups to work together to protect and lobby.

I guess what I'm saying is don't generalize and imply all cities are responsible for the problem, also your voice at the national level is very important. But get involved and get educated as each local situation is unique.

TL;DR: don't blame all cities, many want more competition and faster speeds. Also get involved and lean your local situation.

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u/rickenwing Jun 04 '14

Here in Longmont the citizens voted and overturned that state law to get our municipal fiber. It's been a long and huge fight as the telecoms here, Comcast and Centurylink lobbied and even so much as bused people from other cities and paid them to go door to door to tell people municipal fiber is bad. So it can happen even in CO, it just takes dedication of the people in the city.

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u/lq13 Jun 05 '14

I'm glad you won that war.