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I wish we could get a setup like that going where I live, but sadly I live in the flyover states and this would NEVER play with our voter base, they'd be scream

I wish we could get a setup like that going where I live, but sadly I live in the flyover states and this would NEVER play with our voter base, they'd be screaming socialism at the top of their lungs until they turned blue in the face. At least we got fiber, finally. It isn't state-run but it is a local telecom, the price is reasonable, the service is incredible and the uptime is great. I still get letters occasionally from Spectrum begging me to come back and their PROMOTIONAL PRICE is $10 more per month than my 600 parallel, for slower service. Absolutely brain-dead, I'm not entirely sure the marketing people for cable companies are still living in our reality. Why would you even bother sending these out? Who in their right mind is going to pay more money for worse service to possibly the single greatest and most widely known avatar for corporate avarice, the cable company? I don't know a single person in my area who still has cable internet if fiber is available to them. Spectrum must be hemorrhaging customers. Edit: and if it isn't obvious, yeah I'm a cord cutter too, though tbh there was never a cord in my life to cut. I haven't had cable since I moved out of my parents house, and if not for semi-frequent hotel stays for work, I'd not be exposed to television at all. And said minimal exposure lets me verify that I'm missing absolutely nothing by not having the idiot box in my home. I cannot comprehend people who pay up to the range of hundreds of dollars a month to have a firehose of ads and mediocre bullshit pointed at their faces as a recreational activity. Not gonna yuck someones yum, you like what you like, but it ain't for me and I truly cannot understand why anyone wants it at all, certainly not enough to spend that kind of money on it.

jghn 3y ago
> I live in the flyover states and this would NEVER play with our voter base GP said they live in Arkansas.
- ToucanLoucan 3y ago
  Oh yeah, look at that. Damn. I wonder how they pulled that off. Any time anything like that is suggested around here the culture warriors come in red faced and screaming.
  - ProllyInfamous 3y ago
    >the culture warriors come in red faced and screaming. I enjoy reminding these typically-babyboomers that Medicaid Part D (subsidized prescriptions) is "about as socialist as it gets" — they get low-priced medications, after largely having paid [relatively] nothing in to this "entitlement." Why have they paid almost nothing in to Part D? Because Part D is relatively new, thus passing the costs of medicine on to younger generations/taxpayers. I highly recommend, for better understanding your neighbors (of any age), that you read "A Generation of Sociopaths" — chocked full of statistics to help everybody see why we commoners need "socialism," or whatever they want to call it... BECAUSE IT MAKES LIVING BEARABLE, LESS EXPENSIVE, AND GD you cannot make up their lifetimes of hypocrasies.
    - ToucanLoucan 3y ago
      I'm about 2/3 the way through it actually! It's a good read. That said, what do they say when you point this stuff out? I've been attending local city meetings for a bit now, and when confronted with this stuff, they don't change their minds, they just double and triple down, get even angrier, and screech even louder about MUH FREEDOM. I don't even get angry, I'm just like, explaining how society works (pooling of resources so people can get what they need) and they absolutely melt the fuck down! It's crazy!
      - ProllyInfamous 3y ago
        >what do they say when you point this stuff out? My best local friend is twice my age (late-30's VS late-70's); former landlord, he married a rich girl from The Mountain, and is himself a blue-collar-raised Veteran [drafted, no less]; he is essentially the only "receptive" elderly person I've met, his wife vitriolic at the idea/concept of providing any of the same benefits as her own generation (The Silent Generation) received. I will just quote Her, instead of trying to generalize: "Nobody wants to be 'the last one' at the party — then you have to clean up all the mess!" —80's, female member of local Patriarchy™. Also her: "What should we last few members of my generation do, then; just DIE?!?" Me: "Well, you could start by not complaining about the minimal taxes you pay on ownership of hundreds of acres of undeveloped land. Or, stop cashing your social security checks, which you clearly do not need." Her: "but I EARNED that." Narrator: No, she did not. She inherited it from Daddy, over sixty years ago.
ProllyInfamous 3y ago
>Absolutely brain-dead, I'm not entirely sure the marketing people for cable companies are still living in our reality. Why would you even bother sending these out? I actually submitted a ticket/request to Spectrum, with essentially the exact same question once. Surprisingly, they called me back and interviewed me about "What it would take to sign up for their service?" When I described what I get from my local city fiber service, they acted like "price" and "reliability" and "decent customer service" were all impossible requests — as if EPB didn't exist. I'm not sure if feigned, or actual, ignorance was at play. Regardless, I did not switch over, and they didn't lower their prices. Still get advertising, and am often left wondering "why do they even bother?!" I do know a few elderly folks, despite also having EPBfiber (local city-supplied), maintain other services as "backup" or "for the email address they've always used from @comcast." No amount of reasoning will resolve this, so the cable internet lines still get maintained along city-provided-fiber routes.
- ToucanLoucan 3y ago
  > When I described what I get from my local city fiber service, they acted like "price" and "reliability" and "decent customer service" were all impossible requests — as if EPB didn't exist. I'm not sure if feigned, or actual, ignorance was at play. I mean, I'm sure the calls are monitored and them openly acknowledging that their service sucks ass and is more expensive than their competitors would have them fired more or less immediately, but I am shocked they were ready to even send one of their reps your way knowing damn well they had no leg to stand on to actually make a sale. Like why even waste the time? Idk man, these dinosaur companies are a trip and their internal machinations are endlessly fascinating. Corporate bureaucracy (at least when it isn't actively making my life worse) is always an interesting topic to discuss.
  - ProllyInfamous 3y ago
    I felt SOOO bad for the sweet-sounding (sincere? I'll never actually know) woman interviewing me — like a lamb-to-slaughter, I think the corporate intention was to make me feel bad for "believing such nonsense ISP could actually exist." My last semi-corporate gig, a performance review indicated "[ProllyInfamous] uses too much profanity." I responded verbally by informing them that "from now on I'll stop 'giving a shit,' and instead will start 'giving a hoot'." The owner's complaining wife was NOT thrilled. [I know "I AM fucking difficult"].
_ea1k 3y ago
I've lived in a place where a nice local company offered fiber. Up to 1gbps, symmetric and very reasonably priced lower tiers too (100-300mbps). They had a monopoly, and people loved to complain about issues that were... mostly their router. Though occasionally real issued happened too, of course. A cable company moved in with introductory rates that were about what the previous rate was, but for higher dl speeds and much lower ul speeds. It was cable based. They added eyesore boxes all over the neighborhood. Plenty of people building new houses bought cable, and some switched as well. I've also lived in a neighborhood with ATT fiber, and have seen the same phenomenon. The cable company is much worse, but people will still choose them sometimes. Why be competitive, when you'll get customers either way? :shrug
- bell-cot 3y ago
  My experience: There are some people who are distrusting or hostile enough toward "socialism"/"politicians"/"the gov'ment" that they'll eagerly pay more for worse service. Or, just think of how many people keep buying bottles of drinking water.
  - _ea1k 3y ago
    I think there's also an element of competence. Why choose 300/300 over 500(*)! They don't know the difference between fiber and cable, didn't read the fine print showing the low upload speeds on the "500". :facepalm
    - delecti 3y ago
      I do think that most of it is ignorance, but realistically upload speed is irrelevant for most people most of the time.
      - _ea1k 3y ago
        I think that was more true before automatically backed up photos became a thing. Even video chat can make it relevant, given how restricted some are.
mikestew 3y ago
but sadly I live in the flyover states and this would NEVER play with our voter base What do you think the states of Arkansas and Tennessee (two states mentioned with municipal Internet) are? Coastal socialist paradises?
- ikiris 3y ago
  TN state literally threw a fit and outlawed this as a result.

jghn 3y ago

> I live in the flyover states and this would NEVER play with our voter base GP said they live in Arkansas.

ToucanLoucan 3y ago
Oh yeah, look at that. Damn. I wonder how they pulled that off. Any time anything like that is suggested around here the culture warriors come in red faced and screaming.
- ProllyInfamous 3y ago
  >the culture warriors come in red faced and screaming. I enjoy reminding these typically-babyboomers that Medicaid Part D (subsidized prescriptions) is "about as socialist as it gets" — they get low-priced medications, after largely having paid [relatively] nothing in to this "entitlement." Why have they paid almost nothing in to Part D? Because Part D is relatively new, thus passing the costs of medicine on to younger generations/taxpayers. I highly recommend, for better understanding your neighbors (of any age), that you read "A Generation of Sociopaths" — chocked full of statistics to help everybody see why we commoners need "socialism," or whatever they want to call it... BECAUSE IT MAKES LIVING BEARABLE, LESS EXPENSIVE, AND GD you cannot make up their lifetimes of hypocrasies.
  - ToucanLoucan 3y ago
    I'm about 2/3 the way through it actually! It's a good read. That said, what do they say when you point this stuff out? I've been attending local city meetings for a bit now, and when confronted with this stuff, they don't change their minds, they just double and triple down, get even angrier, and screech even louder about MUH FREEDOM. I don't even get angry, I'm just like, explaining how society works (pooling of resources so people can get what they need) and they absolutely melt the fuck down! It's crazy!
    - ProllyInfamous 3y ago
      >what do they say when you point this stuff out? My best local friend is twice my age (late-30's VS late-70's); former landlord, he married a rich girl from The Mountain, and is himself a blue-collar-raised Veteran [drafted, no less]; he is essentially the only "receptive" elderly person I've met, his wife vitriolic at the idea/concept of providing any of the same benefits as her own generation (The Silent Generation) received. I will just quote Her, instead of trying to generalize: "Nobody wants to be 'the last one' at the party — then you have to clean up all the mess!" —80's, female member of local Patriarchy™. Also her: "What should we last few members of my generation do, then; just DIE?!?" Me: "Well, you could start by not complaining about the minimal taxes you pay on ownership of hundreds of acres of undeveloped land. Or, stop cashing your social security checks, which you clearly do not need." Her: "but I EARNED that." Narrator: No, she did not. She inherited it from Daddy, over sixty years ago.

ProllyInfamous 3y ago

>Absolutely brain-dead, I'm not entirely sure the marketing people for cable companies are still living in our reality. Why would you even bother sending these out? I actually submitted a ticket/request to Spectrum, with essentially the exact same question once. Surprisingly, they called me back and interviewed me about "What it would take to sign up for their service?" When I described what I get from my local city fiber service, they acted like "price" and "reliability" and "decent customer service" were all impossible requests — as if EPB didn't exist. I'm not sure if feigned, or actual, ignorance was at play. Regardless, I did not switch over, and they didn't lower their prices. Still get advertising, and am often left wondering "why do they even bother?!" I do know a few elderly folks, despite also having EPBfiber (local city-supplied), maintain other services as "backup" or "for the email address they've always used from @comcast." No amount of reasoning will resolve this, so the cable internet lines still get maintained along city-provided-fiber routes.

ToucanLoucan 3y ago
> When I described what I get from my local city fiber service, they acted like "price" and "reliability" and "decent customer service" were all impossible requests — as if EPB didn't exist. I'm not sure if feigned, or actual, ignorance was at play. I mean, I'm sure the calls are monitored and them openly acknowledging that their service sucks ass and is more expensive than their competitors would have them fired more or less immediately, but I am shocked they were ready to even send one of their reps your way knowing damn well they had no leg to stand on to actually make a sale. Like why even waste the time? Idk man, these dinosaur companies are a trip and their internal machinations are endlessly fascinating. Corporate bureaucracy (at least when it isn't actively making my life worse) is always an interesting topic to discuss.
- ProllyInfamous 3y ago
  I felt SOOO bad for the sweet-sounding (sincere? I'll never actually know) woman interviewing me — like a lamb-to-slaughter, I think the corporate intention was to make me feel bad for "believing such nonsense ISP could actually exist." My last semi-corporate gig, a performance review indicated "[ProllyInfamous] uses too much profanity." I responded verbally by informing them that "from now on I'll stop 'giving a shit,' and instead will start 'giving a hoot'." The owner's complaining wife was NOT thrilled. [I know "I AM fucking difficult"].

_ea1k 3y ago

I've lived in a place where a nice local company offered fiber. Up to 1gbps, symmetric and very reasonably priced lower tiers too (100-300mbps). They had a monopoly, and people loved to complain about issues that were... mostly their router. Though occasionally real issued happened too, of course. A cable company moved in with introductory rates that were about what the previous rate was, but for higher dl speeds and much lower ul speeds. It was cable based. They added eyesore boxes all over the neighborhood. Plenty of people building new houses bought cable, and some switched as well. I've also lived in a neighborhood with ATT fiber, and have seen the same phenomenon. The cable company is much worse, but people will still choose them sometimes. Why be competitive, when you'll get customers either way? :shrug

bell-cot 3y ago
My experience: There are some people who are distrusting or hostile enough toward "socialism"/"politicians"/"the gov'ment" that they'll eagerly pay more for worse service. Or, just think of how many people keep buying bottles of drinking water.
- _ea1k 3y ago
  I think there's also an element of competence. Why choose 300/300 over 500(*)! They don't know the difference between fiber and cable, didn't read the fine print showing the low upload speeds on the "500". :facepalm
  - delecti 3y ago
    I do think that most of it is ignorance, but realistically upload speed is irrelevant for most people most of the time.
    - _ea1k 3y ago
      I think that was more true before automatically backed up photos became a thing. Even video chat can make it relevant, given how restricted some are.

mikestew 3y ago

but sadly I live in the flyover states and this would NEVER play with our voter base What do you think the states of Arkansas and Tennessee (two states mentioned with municipal Internet) are? Coastal socialist paradises?

ikiris 3y ago
TN state literally threw a fit and outlawed this as a result.