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I trust your background and comments, but perhaps we're referring to different accounting here? There are grants, subsidies, tax breaks and all have been taken

I trust your background and comments, but perhaps we're referring to different accounting here? There are grants, subsidies, tax breaks and all have been taken without the requisite buildout of infrastructure. Some sources: https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131012/02124724852/decades-failed-promises-verizon-it-promises-fiber-to-get-tax-breaks-then-never-delivers.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131012/02124724852/decad... https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150126/04502529814/what-billions-subsidies-bought-final-map-verizons-fios-fiber.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150126/04502529814/what-... https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200127/09334443804/look-more-giant-isps-taking-taxpayer-money-unfinished-networks.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200127/09334443804/look-... https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200414/07290544296/fcc-still-doesnt-know-where-broadband-is-as-it-eyes-9-billion-new-subsidies.shtml https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200414/07290544296/fcc-s... https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/isps-want-to-be-utilities-but-only-to-get-more-money-from-the-government/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/isps-want-to-be-...

rayiner 6y ago
Thanks for collecting these sources. Let's keep in mind that ISPs were investing $40 billion+ per year of their own money in wired broadband networks during the 2000-2010 timeframe, and maybe $30 billion+ in the 2010-2020 timeframe. Conservatively, you're talking about well over half a trillion since 2000, and that’s excluding wireless. > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131012/02124724852/decad.. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131012/02124724852/decad.... This is a state-level tax-break from 1994 of about $2.1 billion. There's probably a few more like this scattered around, but I don't think there are many, because the Pennsylvania one is always the one that comes up. > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150126/04502529814/what-.. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150126/04502529814/what-.... This is referring to the Pennsylvania subsidies, above. > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200127/09334443804/look-.. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200127/09334443804/look-.... This is the CAF funding I'm referring to. The article also references the Pennsylvania subsidies, and the New York FiOS rollout, which didn't involve any subsidies at all. > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200414/07290544296/fcc-s.. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200414/07290544296/fcc-s.... This is about future subsidies. > https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/isps-want-to-be-.. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/isps-want-to-be-.... Also about CAF, mentions $1.5 billion per year. Obviously, billions of dollars of government funding that’s not delivered the desired results is a problem in its own right. I’m not well versed in rural issues so I don’t really know what the problems were there. My point simply is that the government never tried to build a “nationwide network” like OP suggested, not do these failed projects add up to even a year’s worth of the investment that would be required to actually do that.

rayiner 6y ago

Thanks for collecting these sources. Let's keep in mind that ISPs were investing $40 billion+ per year of their own money in wired broadband networks during the 2000-2010 timeframe, and maybe $30 billion+ in the 2010-2020 timeframe. Conservatively, you're talking about well over half a trillion since 2000, and that’s excluding wireless. > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131012/02124724852/decad.. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20131012/02124724852/decad.... This is a state-level tax-break from 1994 of about $2.1 billion. There's probably a few more like this scattered around, but I don't think there are many, because the Pennsylvania one is always the one that comes up. > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150126/04502529814/what-.. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150126/04502529814/what-.... This is referring to the Pennsylvania subsidies, above. > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200127/09334443804/look-.. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200127/09334443804/look-.... This is the CAF funding I'm referring to. The article also references the Pennsylvania subsidies, and the New York FiOS rollout, which didn't involve any subsidies at all. > https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200414/07290544296/fcc-s.. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20200414/07290544296/fcc-s.... This is about future subsidies. > https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/isps-want-to-be-.. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/08/isps-want-to-be-.... Also about CAF, mentions $1.5 billion per year. Obviously, billions of dollars of government funding that’s not delivered the desired results is a problem in its own right. I’m not well versed in rural issues so I don’t really know what the problems were there. My point simply is that the government never tried to build a “nationwide network” like OP suggested, not do these failed projects add up to even a year’s worth of the investment that would be required to actually do that.