[TriLUG] mostly OT: Tech Lobbyist

[David Burton via TriLUG]

On Thu, Sep 24, 2015 at 12:59 PM, Tim Jowers via TriLUG <trilug at trilug.org>
wrote:

 State of NC outlawing competition for Internet Access is a well-known
> example.
>

The State of NC did not outlaw *private* competition for internet access.
Rather, they restricted some *municipalities*' ambitions to compete with
private companies providing internet access, to prevent debacles like
Salisbury's.

The Salisbury/Calix "Fibrant" municipal internet service had great specs
and a great price, but that's because they operated at a loss. They're in
debt to the tune thousands of dollars per customer. They hemorrhaged so
much money that Moody's lowered the city's bond rating.
http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=11193
https://www.macroaxis.com/invest/ratio/CALX--Probability_Of_Bankruptcy
http://rowanfreepress.com/2015/09/04/has-salisbury-n-c-been-10-gigged/

Don't think I'm an apologist for TWC, AT&T, etc. I have no love for
Time-Warner and AT&T. They are both sleazy companies, with chronically
sleazy business practices. I can't wait for Google Fiber to get here!

BTW, yesterday I was paying $55/month for 20 mb down / 2 mb up from TWC. I
called and said that I was considering switching to AT&T. They connected me
to the "Customer Solutions Department" (formerly "Retention"). Today I'm
paying $45/month for 30 mb down / 5 mb up.

The deal lasts for one year, so I put an appointment on my calendar to call
'em again on 9/23/2016 (unless I'm on Google Fiber by then, of course).

Dave