Broadband Stymied

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat net>
> Date: March 15, 2010 11:37:23 AM EDT
> To: dave () farber net, ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] Broadband Stymied

> All:
>
> Agree that the stimulus effort has, so far, produced few useful  
> results and perhaps has been counterproductive.
>
> Ironically, my own ISP -- which is typical of many that bring  
> service to unserved rural areas -- is not even eligible to receive  
> funding. Why? Because it a sole proprietorship -- the most common  
> form of small business in the US -- and not a corporation.
>
> Yes, that's right. According to the NTIA and USDA rules, only  
> corporations need apply for the money.
>
> When I asked a high level administrator why, he replied, "We can't  
> give grants to individual persons." I pointed out that corporations  
> are nothing but fictitious persons, and asked, "Would you rather  
> loan money to a fictitious person or a real one, which won't  
> dissolve in the middle of the night and has real assets such as a  
> home that he or she doesn't want to lose?"
>
> He had no good answer.
>
> As a result, all we can do is hope that a corporation applies for a  
> grant for our area and that we can then leverage the "open access"  
> rules (which discourage such applications) to get onto any  
> infrastructure that is built.
>
> The stimulus program has also allowed grant recipients to "cherry  
> pick" areas that they want to serve, whilst ignoring others that are  
> in greater need of service.
>
> For example, it has been reported that Level3 -- the nationwide  
> fiber company -- has received several grants to open up points of  
> presence along its fiber routes in the Midwest.
>
> My own city, however, has been asking Level3 to open up a POP for  
> years. And it has one already built; the building is already  
> equipped and ready, and requires only an investment of about $150K  
> (in optronics and splicing) to open.
>
> But will Level3 open up a POP here -- or anywhere in Wyoming? Nope.  
> Our state has been "redlined" -- apparently due to low population  
> density. And the NTIA and RUS grant program didn't require the  
> company to serve markets that were actually in the most need.
>
> Such dysfunctional behaviors are one reason why we should not expect  
> too much of the stimulus.
>
> --Brett Glass



-------------------------------------------
Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=now
RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/
Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com