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A comment on Chattanooga offers residents lightning-quick connections, to telecoms' dismay. Parent comment

Re:Chattanooga offers residents lightning-quick connections,... by baddox on Monday July 21, 2014 @03:06PM (#8065413)
> They cannot both be true. If the public offering was as bad as you claim, private companies could compete (e.g. on quality).

Unless those private companies are legally prohibited from competing, or are prohibited from practically competing by things like red tape or fees for constructing infrastructure.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Chattanooga offers residents lightning-quick connections,... by x1798DE on Monday July 21, 2014 @04:24PM (#8065780)
Alternatively, it's usually possible to heap tax money on the inefficient government option to allow it to have an incredibly low "sticker price" because they charge everyone for the service whether or not they use the service through taxes. Essentially making it so you buy the inefficient services either way, and if you want you can pay a bunch more to use a private competitor.
[ Parent | on HN ]