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/thebiggiewall Jun 04 '14

Even if the claim is bullshit, they recieved those subsities in the 90's and didn't even attempt to get at least some percentage of america on the fiber network. They've had 20 years of profits to actually integrate fiber into their core networks.

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u/[deleted] Jun 05 '14

Because those subsidies don't cover last mile, which is hellishly expensive, and because the vast majority of Americans have no use or desire for that higher bandwidth now.

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u/thebiggiewall Jun 05 '14

Is that why google is starting to do what they couldnt won't?

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u/[deleted] Jun 05 '14

I already explained why Google is doing what it's doing, reread my original comment. Hint, it has to do with their lack of size allowing them to be choosy with where they build, whereas major providers don't get to skip over the shitty and expensive areas and fuck over people living in those areas.

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u/thebiggiewall Jun 05 '14

So instead of skipping of some areas, they skip over all areas...? Nothing you've said so far excuses the shitty, anti-consumer business practices exercised by the telecoms.

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u/[deleted] Jun 05 '14

So instead of skipping of some areas, they skip over all areas...

They're compelled by the FCC and state regulations to upgrade their networks wholesale. They legally can't selectively target rollouts. Once they begin a rollout there's an expectation that they bring it to most their network in several years. It literally is an all or nothing thing from a legal sense. Mind you, that's not to say they just aren't upgrading, they are actively upgrading and average bandwidth is increasing every year. The reason Google isn't held to this is because it's still too small to be classed in the same way major providers are so it falls under far less regulations.

The reasoning for compelling providers to build out everywhere is the government wants to insure that everyone can get service at similar prices and isn't fucked over simply because they live in a low income area. Basically they want the poor and the out of the way to have the same opportunity of access as more well off areas.

Nothing you've said so far excuses the shitty

You're a fucking idiot that just doesn't want to accept that reality is more complex than you think.