Comments for Free UTOPIA! http://www.freeutopia.org Municipal fiber advocacy at its finest. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:24:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 40.569598-111.86217http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gifSome Rights Reserved Comment on Utah Infrastructure Agency Moving Forward by Jesse http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/nu2B574ZLbo/ Jesse Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:24:17 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1022#comment-49560 If you want to know if Qwest and Comcast are UTA members, ask UTA. They readily answer in the affirmative. If you ask how much they contribute or how much influence they have over the organization's positions, you'll get no answers. (Seriously, go do it. A lot of people on the fence become pro-UTOPIA after that little exchange.) The claim that Qwest and Comcast operate without subsidies is laughable at best. Between the Universal Service Fund, build-out requirements too high for new market entrants to meet, and exclusivity in municipal franchise agreements, telecom is one of the most rent-seeking sectors out there. Heck, the Telco Act of '96 alone enriched telecom to the tune of $300B. Qwest has received far more money in subsidies than UTOPIA ever likely is to, yet we have very little to show for it. In Boston, Comcast has abused their monopoly to raise rates over 80% in three years because there is no competition, nobody will finance competition, and they will regularly quash any competition that may come along with new regulations as they have for over a century. That kind of crony capitalism has no place in a free market, yet here you are defending it? Yes, I like capitalism and I like free markets. Comcast and Qwest are neither, having used the coercive power of government to privatize profits and socialize losses. Are there solutions other than UTOPIA? Maybe, but it seems like both the most plausible and least painful way to correct these severe market imbalances. If you want to know if Qwest and Comcast are UTA members, ask UTA. They readily answer in the affirmative. If you ask how much they contribute or how much influence they have over the organization’s positions, you’ll get no answers. (Seriously, go do it. A lot of people on the fence become pro-UTOPIA after that little exchange.)

The claim that Qwest and Comcast operate without subsidies is laughable at best. Between the Universal Service Fund, build-out requirements too high for new market entrants to meet, and exclusivity in municipal franchise agreements, telecom is one of the most rent-seeking sectors out there. Heck, the Telco Act of ’96 alone enriched telecom to the tune of $300B. Qwest has received far more money in subsidies than UTOPIA ever likely is to, yet we have very little to show for it. In Boston, Comcast has abused their monopoly to raise rates over 80% in three years because there is no competition, nobody will finance competition, and they will regularly quash any competition that may come along with new regulations as they have for over a century. That kind of crony capitalism has no place in a free market, yet here you are defending it?

Yes, I like capitalism and I like free markets. Comcast and Qwest are neither, having used the coercive power of government to privatize profits and socialize losses. Are there solutions other than UTOPIA? Maybe, but it seems like both the most plausible and least painful way to correct these severe market imbalances.

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2010/07/09/utah-infrastructure-agency-moving-forward/#comment-49560 Comment on Utah Infrastructure Agency Moving Forward by Tuanis Che http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/gNtMj22dTqI/ Tuanis Che Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:27:46 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1022#comment-49556 Jesse, I have been doing some research on UTOPIA and it seems you have a standard answer. Qwest and Comcast are the reason UTA opposes UTOPIA, yet I have yet to see you post anything that substantiates that claim. Its the ol liberal trick of saying someone is a racist or flat earther. It might seem logical that because there is an association between the two, but have you ever looked into it? Also, you might want to look at the connections between the local city mayors and councils being in with UTOPIA. Why are they picking the winners? Comcast and Qwest do just fine without being subsidized with the tune of half a billion dollars. If there is already a service provided then there is no need for the govt. to be involved. Why don't you defend that side. Why not defend capitalism since it has proven itself over and over again. There is no doubt we all want faster internet but is it something that we want our local govt to control? FYI, there will be a new push in the next coming years to make HS internet a service like water for low income. Then the households that are low income will have to be subsidized by you and I so that they can have free UTOPIA. All the while I still cant get it in my home! Jesse,
I have been doing some research on UTOPIA and it seems you have a standard answer. Qwest and Comcast are the reason UTA opposes UTOPIA, yet I have yet to see you post anything that substantiates that claim. Its the ol liberal trick of saying someone is a racist or flat earther. It might seem logical that because there is an association between the two, but have you ever looked into it? Also, you might want to look at the connections between the local city mayors and councils being in with UTOPIA. Why are they picking the winners? Comcast and Qwest do just fine without being subsidized with the tune of half a billion dollars. If there is already a service provided then there is no need for the govt. to be involved. Why don’t you defend that side. Why not defend capitalism since it has proven itself over and over again. There is no doubt we all want faster internet but is it something that we want our local govt to control? FYI, there will be a new push in the next coming years to make HS internet a service like water for low income. Then the households that are low income will have to be subsidized by you and I so that they can have free UTOPIA. All the while I still cant get it in my home!

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2010/07/09/utah-infrastructure-agency-moving-forward/#comment-49556 Comment on How To Bring UTOPIA To Your City, the UIA Way by Jesse http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/gNb_y0vOBHs/ Jesse Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:02:58 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1198#comment-49553 Service providers aren't always the best-equipped to provide estimates. It's best to ask UTOPIA directly. They have an expanded customer service department to help handle those calls. If you're being quoted a one-time fee for hookup without the option to spread it over 10 or 20 years, it's likely that your member city isn't participating in the UIA. Something to consider with the install fee is that you can get a 50M/50M connection for just $35 per month once that's paid. If you finance over 20 years, the total monthly cost is about a wash with what it has been. UTOPIA simply does not have the money to extend the network and hook up more homes which is why they have to, in one form or another, place the burden back on subscribers. The upside is that non-subscribers don't have to pay to expand and extend the network. Service providers aren’t always the best-equipped to provide estimates. It’s best to ask UTOPIA directly. They have an expanded customer service department to help handle those calls.

If you’re being quoted a one-time fee for hookup without the option to spread it over 10 or 20 years, it’s likely that your member city isn’t participating in the UIA. Something to consider with the install fee is that you can get a 50M/50M connection for just $35 per month once that’s paid. If you finance over 20 years, the total monthly cost is about a wash with what it has been. UTOPIA simply does not have the money to extend the network and hook up more homes which is why they have to, in one form or another, place the burden back on subscribers. The upside is that non-subscribers don’t have to pay to expand and extend the network.

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2011/05/12/how-to-bring-utopia-to-your-city-the-uia-way/#comment-49553 Comment on How To Bring UTOPIA To Your City, the UIA Way by Tuanis Che http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/xuQpxzZZ0gQ/ Tuanis Che Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:45:09 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1198#comment-49552 I have contacted one of the Utopia companies or 3 and they all say the same thing. We are 6 months from your neighborhood, so give us a call in 6 months. Six months pass and I call, the same response. Six months later I call and guess what the same response. The funny thing is the fiber line is 19 feet from my house, I measured it and guess what I can't get it. Unless I pay a one time fee of $2700 to hook it up to my house. I would still have to pay the monthly fee to Utopia and the service provider. Meanwhile my local city council continues to approve more bond money to Utopia. So I continue to pay my taxes for a utility we are all being taxed on that we can never use. I have contacted one of the Utopia companies or 3 and they all say the same thing. We are 6 months from your neighborhood, so give us a call in 6 months. Six months pass and I call, the same response. Six months later I call and guess what the same response. The funny thing is the fiber line is 19 feet from my house, I measured it and guess what I can’t get it. Unless I pay a one time fee of $2700 to hook it up to my house. I would still have to pay the monthly fee to Utopia and the service provider. Meanwhile my local city council continues to approve more bond money to Utopia. So I continue to pay my taxes for a utility we are all being taxed on that we can never use.

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2011/05/12/how-to-bring-utopia-to-your-city-the-uia-way/#comment-49552 Comment on Oppose SB112 by Tuanische http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/j7tPkN-waPQ/ Tuanische Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:17:57 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1345#comment-49549 The reality is they should both have to pay the same excise tax. They are just going to pass it on to the consumer, but neither should have a lower or higher tax rate. It is called forced plunder when you do that. If Cable does have to pay more to get service to your home then they either need to figure out how to become more efficient or give better service. If the govt. picks the winner, we lose! You don't need to look far see all of their failures. The reality is they should both have to pay the same excise tax. They are just going to pass it on to the consumer, but neither should have a lower or higher tax rate. It is called forced plunder when you do that. If Cable does have to pay more to get service to your home then they either need to figure out how to become more efficient or give better service. If the govt. picks the winner, we lose! You don’t need to look far see all of their failures.

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2012/02/06/oppose-sb112/#comment-49549 Comment on How To Bring UTOPIA To Your City, the UIA Way by Jesse http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/Sy-kwdW-iR0/ Jesse Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:18:59 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1198#comment-49299 The West Jordan city council allows UTOPIA to be brought up once a year as a courtesy. It's kind of a tacit admission that 1) there's a vocal groundswell of support and 2) the city would rather just ignore it. About the only way around that will be to talk to other people who want it and target one council member at a time. It takes ground game and time. The West Jordan city council allows UTOPIA to be brought up once a year as a courtesy. It’s kind of a tacit admission that 1) there’s a vocal groundswell of support and 2) the city would rather just ignore it. About the only way around that will be to talk to other people who want it and target one council member at a time. It takes ground game and time.

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2011/05/12/how-to-bring-utopia-to-your-city-the-uia-way/#comment-49299 Comment on How To Bring UTOPIA To Your City, the UIA Way by Kelly Brown http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/cMGKPs9RZAk/ Kelly Brown Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:57:08 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1198#comment-49296 I am a resident of West Jordan. What can I do to help move this along? I am a resident of West Jordan. What can I do to help move this along?

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2011/05/12/how-to-bring-utopia-to-your-city-the-uia-way/#comment-49296 Comment on Oppose SB112 by Doofus http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/gVFCfVoKKa4/ Doofus Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:30:58 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1345#comment-49290 What? The Utah state legislature favoring one industry or specific business over another? Shocking, I say, simply shocking. I just can't imagine why they'd do such a thing...not! What? The Utah state legislature favoring one industry or specific business over another? Shocking, I say, simply shocking. I just can’t imagine why they’d do such a thing…not!

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2012/02/06/oppose-sb112/#comment-49290 Comment on Oppose SB112 by Rob http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/6j4kFQ9e-Kg/ Rob Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:06:17 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1345#comment-49236 Jesse, I could not agree more. Moreover, because government gives only ONE cable company those rights-of way, cable companies are given the preferred status of government-sponsored monopoly. If this bill passes, they will get a whole lot more benefit for their taxes than the satellite companies. Jesse, I could not agree more. Moreover, because government gives only ONE cable company those rights-of way, cable companies are given the preferred status of government-sponsored monopoly. If this bill passes, they will get a whole lot more benefit for their taxes than the satellite companies.

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2012/02/06/oppose-sb112/#comment-49236 Comment on How To Bring UTOPIA To Your City, the UIA Way by Carol http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreeUtopiaComments/~3/v5jOZU1tILw/ Carol Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:35:44 +0000 http://www.freeutopia.org/?p=1198#comment-48859 Unfortunately I will be leaving Sandy. I'll just hope that more South Jordan an Draper folks come out of the woodworks for Utopia. I foresee a sad, sad, Internet future with a 7mbs (if that) connection or worse, one from DirecTV or Hughes net. I currently have Comcast and hate to downgrade from 25mbs by that much. I work in IT, have a lot of devices on my network and also stream media frequently. We really should have Utopia in many more places by now, and I will support it wherever I can. Unfortunately I will be leaving Sandy. I’ll just hope that more South Jordan an Draper folks come out of the woodworks for Utopia. I foresee a sad, sad, Internet future with a 7mbs (if that) connection or worse, one from DirecTV or Hughes net. I currently have Comcast and hate to downgrade from 25mbs by that much. I work in IT, have a lot of devices on my network and also stream media frequently. We really should have Utopia in many more places by now, and I will support it wherever I can.

]]> http://www.freeutopia.org/2011/05/12/how-to-bring-utopia-to-your-city-the-uia-way/#comment-48859