Re: Muni Fiber and Politics

[Rich Kulawiec <rsk () gsp org>]

On Mon, Jul 21, 2014 at 08:56:41PM +0000, Alex Rubenstein wrote:
> I live in 07874. Out here, only 50 miles from New York City, we have a problem.

You also have another problem, which I'll get to in a moment.

> Verizon's network in this area is older than most people who are
> subscribed to this list. The copper is literally falling off the
> telephone poles, and in conversations with linemen, they are instructed
> to effectuate repairs in the cheapest manner possible (band-aid). In
> fact, in many cases, they offer to customers to replace their service
> with wireless rather than fix the wireline.

That's the problem.  Copper plant is clearly not the optimal solution
for data communication, but when you really NEED a voice call to go
through -- say, when a major hurricane moves up the coast, taking out
all kinds of infrastructure as it goes -- it gives you the best chance.
And if that phone call's content is something like "the water is rising,
we need to be evac'd NOW", then you'd probably want that best chance.

Well, if it's as well-maintained as it once was.  Say what you want
about the old Ma Bell, but they overengineered the hell out of everything
from CO's to handsets, and that effort saved lives.

Now?  Not so much:

        Verizon Tells Some Sandy Victims They'll Never Get DSL Back As Company Continues Push Toward Killing Off Copper
        http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Tells-Some-Sandy-Victims-Theyll-Never-Get-DSL-Back-123612

        Verizon Tells More Sandy Victims They'll Never See DSL Repaired
        Verizon Uses Storm Cover as Opportunity to Hang Up on Users
        http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/124166

        Sandy Victims Continue to Complain Verizon Hung Up on Them
        http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/126235

        Verizon on Killing DSL: But..But..Sandy Was SAD!
        Company Dodges Concerns About Failure in Sandy Regions
        http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/124486

        Public Service Commission Orders Verizon To Cough Up Cost Data On Its New York Copper Lines
        
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131209/13575325508/public-service-commission-orders-verizon-to-cough-up-cost-data-its-new-york-copper-lines.shtml

        Verizon Responds To Freedom Of Information Request With Hundred Of Fully Redacted Pages
        
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131030/16250525075/verizon-responds-to-freedom-information-request-with-hundred-fully-redacted-pages.shtml

---rsk