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If there is going to be public investment it should result in municipalities owning the last mile. Maybe the only thing that governments have done better than
by alphazard 3y ago
If there is going to be public investment it should result in municipalities owning the last mile. Maybe the only thing that governments have done better than the private sector (other than use of violence) are roads, plumbing and electric. Broadband seems similar enough to those that it would also be a good fit.
There is still a place for companies to build the internet backbone and maintain the big pipes connecting cities.
- michaelrpeskin 3y agoI tend towards being more Libertarian, but the one place that I think governments should be involved in is infrastructure - the stuff where competition would be wasteful (who wants a bunch of competing private roads?). I think it makes sense for governments to provide "roads, wires, and pipes" and then let the private companies decide what goes over the roads, wires, and pipes. My municipality can maintain my wires but I can choose my ISP. Just like they maintain the roads, but private companies use them.
- zbrozek 3y agoA lot of European cities own the conduit and then lease space in it to private companies. It's not exactly the same, but a good approach all the same.