Bellsouth and AT&T: COMBINE! Form of: PAIN IN MY ASS
March 7th, 2006 by AtomictumorI’ve been trying to ignore it, but I just can’t. Netmom first brought the intended purchase of Bellsouth by AT&T to my attention in the comments section on my most recent post of how much Bellsouth and AT&T irritate me with their reckless and irresponsibly greedy plans to charge on both ends of internet connections, but I just wouldn’t believe it.
It seems unusual, at best, for something like this to be leaked on a Sunday and announced on a Monday, although it has evidently been in the works since November. However, this seems to worsen things for we poor bastards who live in the southern US, because Bellsouth and AT&T were the biggest voices in support of the two-tiered internet garbage that I’ve been griping about for months. I said Friday that I’d be suprised if they could pull it off, but with the bastards combined like this, well, anythings possible.
My post Friday fired me up about something else thats been in my mind for a long time: community broadband. It seems to me that we’re spending way too much money for what seems (admittedly, from the outside, but from an educated view) an inexpensive technology. Towns all over the country (the world, even) are starting municipal or community broadband networks (wireless has been popular, but I’m not sure how effective it’d be with the hills and whatnot) in order to lure business and generally cause an ease on their taxpayers.
Who’s interested?
March 7th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
I am interested. You may find this interesting AT…if you haven’t seen it already.
http://www.freepress.net/communityinternet/
March 7th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
Woo! One supporter. City council will have to listen to us now.
But seriously, I’m all for this, I’m just not sure what a next step would be, should we try to pursue this. AT wants to do it on a grassroots level, drumming up support from residents, but we’re not what you’d consider all that social, and I don’t see us going door-to-door any time soon.
Are there other avenues for us to persue regarding this?
March 7th, 2006 at 6:15 pm
There has actually been a group working on this for more than a year; I have attended a few of the meetings, but quickly determined that the folks already involved have more technical expertise in their shoelaces than I’ll ever have. I’m supportive — anxious even — because I think that having wireless across the city could 1) bring business and residents, and 2) level the field a bit for students who don’t have broadband at home.
City staff, some folks from the schools’ IT department, several businesses, ORNL, UT, and ORAU are involved. I think the current prospects are to begin in the center of town (city hall, civic center, high school, and surrounding area) and expand from there.
It’s been quiet because it’s still a working group, but I expect there may be something show up in the draft ‘07 budget in the next couple of months. Stay tuned.
March 7th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
Netmom, do you have a contact for these folks?
March 7th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
“City staff, some folks from the schools’ IT department, several businesses, ORNL, UT, and ORAU are involved. I think the current prospects are to begin in the center of town (city hall, civic center, high school, and surrounding area) and expand from there.”
…and there in lies the problem. “city hall, civic center, high school, and surrounding area,” I wonder how many of Oak Ridge’s 14,000+ homes are in that geographical area. In order to get real community support, the community will need to be involved and see some advantage. Covering the civic center and the high school area doesn’t really get me all hot and bothered about the idea. How about you?
March 7th, 2006 at 7:31 pm
BTW NetMom, who is this group and where can the rest of us contact them?
March 7th, 2006 at 8:09 pm
Daco, its gotta start somewhere. It sounds like they’re planning more along the lines of wi-fi hotspot stuff instead of true municipal broadband, but its impossible to say unless they come out with it.
Whats the score, Netmom? I’ve been talking about this (in my own quiet way) for a year or two myself.
March 7th, 2006 at 8:31 pm
Hmmm….living .35 miles from the high school gets me pretty hot and bothered about the idea. That, and I’m a current subscriber to evil, evil BellSouth.
I think that center city is a logical choice to begin such a project, with the understanding that the service would be expanded to all neighborhoods when feasible.
March 7th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
We may be getting ahead of ourselves here, but with the capitol needed for a project like this, it doesn’t get me excited unless it is a city wide project within a VERY short period of time.
March 7th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
Well, the thing is, I don’t think this would be a crazy amount of money to start up. Its hard to find much real info.