> Do you realize that most power/utility companies in the US are private and do want to make a profit and pay dividends to share holders? You're right, and I d

> Do you realize that most power/utility companies in the US are private and do want to make a profit and pay dividends to share holders? You're right, and I don't understand why the discussion here seems to insist that the two options available are having either no NN or having the big, bad gubbmint provide internet services. Among the solutions that lie between these two extremes are private, for profit, regulated utilities. For example, where I live our electric+gas services come from a company named Avista, NYSE:AVA[1]. It's shareholder-owned, for-profit, and regulated by the state[2]. In fact this private, regulated utility is so private that it's currently busying itself with being acquired by a Canadian company[3], after which it will of course still be regulated by the state of Washington to ensure that the corporation continues operating for the public good. "Avista's purpose is to improve life's quality by providing energy and energy-related services, as well as certain non-energy related services. We do this by safely and reliably delivering these services at a competitive price and by helping our customers get the most value from their dollar, while providing our investors a fair return."[4] Fair return, not maximum return. Our nation's economy, infrastructure, and access to government information and services now rely on the internet. ISPs, whether private or public, need to be regulated in ways that reflect that fact. [1] https://www.avistacorp.com/about/Pages/aboutus.aspx https://www.avistacorp.com/about/Pages/aboutus.aspx [2] https://goo.gl/y54zFV https://goo.gl/y54zFV [utc.wa.gov] [3] https://goo.gl/Av1vx3 https://goo.gl/Av1vx3 [investor.avistacorp.com] [4] https://goo.gl/fGAAW8 https://goo.gl/fGAAW8 [investor.avistacorp.com] edit:format