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A comment on Google’s fiber effect: Fuel for a broadband explosion.

Re:Google’s fiber effect: Fuel for a broadband explosion by sreya on Monday May 05, 2014 @02:59AM (#7697249)
As awesome as it is to see Google kick the regional monopolies into upgrading, it's really a lack of competition that's stifling both modern connection speeds and reasonable prices. Prices for the ridiculously named "Gigapower" are undoubtedly going to go increase repeatedly over time if Fiber backs out since it has achieved what it wants. Competition would have the opposite effect.

Or better yet, why not treat ISPs as utilities. Could anyone offer insight as to why internet in this day and age is not regulated like electricity or other utilities?

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Re:Google’s fiber effect: Fuel for a broadband explosion by Lost_BiomedE on Monday May 05, 2014 @04:43AM (#7697536)
Could anyone offer insight as to why internet in this day and age is not regulated like electricity or other utilities?

This was the obvious solution after the telecom act of '96. Many experts in the field said so much at the time. But the telecoms dug their heels, broke the law by locking out people from the DSLAMS, and used disinformation and lobbying to get the FCC to say it was O.K. to have a telecom-cable duopoly. This was also around the time that telecoms did everything they could, at the state level, to prevent cities from offering free city-wide internet [1].

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Municipal_broadband#Controversy

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Re:Google’s fiber effect: Fuel for a broadband explosion by pjspycha on Monday May 05, 2014 @04:54PM (#7701169)
Utilities would kill any chance of competition. Playing devils advocate here but if your city was in charge of upgrading your internet, you would be stuck with their plans and budget and red tape. No hope for google fiber or otherwise to attempt to make things better.
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Re:Google’s fiber effect: Fuel for a broadband explosion by jpadkins on Monday May 05, 2014 @09:33AM (#7698431)
because utilities suck? Innovation, price, customer service, take your pick on which dimension they suck. Governments have had a century of experience dealing with utilities. I'm glad they are at least trying new models before going with the known to suck model.
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