more on fooled you once, was defense of PA Bill

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: John Levine <johnl () iecc com>
Date: December 3, 2004 11:14:06 PM EST
To: dave () farber net
Cc: Russell Nelson <nelson () crynwr com>
Subject: Re: [IP] fooled you once, was defense of PA Bill

> Well, as far as I can see, the law[1] forces telecommunication
> companies to provide broadband Internet to everyone by a specific
> date (later for rural carriers, earlier for non-rural).

Back in 1994, in return for regulatory relief, what was then Bell of
Pennsylvania promised the Pennsylvania PUC that by 2004, they would
have 50% of Pennsylvania homes wired with 45 megabit broadband.  That
means fiber since nothing else that can be deployed in quantity is
fast enough.  Although I am not familiar with every detail of the
Pennsylvania telecom landscape, I believe that the amount of Verizon
FTTH in Pennsylvania is closer to 0%.

Teletruth figures that VZ's relief has cost PA consumers about $785
apiece, for which after a decade they've gotten nothing.  See the FCC
complaint Teletruth filed at 
http://www.newnetworks.com/prpenncomplaint.htm

With this in mind, why would anyone believe any promises that VZ makes
about broadband, or give them yet more incentives to do what they have
already been paid to do?

Regards,
John Levine, johnl () iecc com, Primary Perpetrator of "The Internet for 
Dummies",
Information Superhighwayman wanna-be, http://www.johnlevine.com, Mayor
"I shook hands with Senators Dole and Inouye," said Tom, disarmingly.

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