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Normally I'd make some argument about how Big Government has no real motivation (i.e. money) to supply a better product and private enterprise is better qualifi
by tdavis 18y ago
Normally I'd make some argument about how Big Government has no real motivation (i.e. money) to supply a better product and private enterprise is better qualified, but the current state of the telco companies make that argument impossible. 10mbit fiber for $35/mo, no caps, and no packet sniffing? Where do I sign?
- nazgulnarsil 18y agothis is great now, but what about in 10 years when you're still stuck with a 10mbit connection because the city has a monopoly and competing telcos are offering 100mbit lines?
- Xichekolas 18y agoAFAIK, there is nothing exclusive about City of Wilson's network. Why would you be stuck on the city's network? Consumers could freely switch to the telco's network whenever they wanted. If the telcos want to upgrade and beat the city on speed, that's fine. Either way the consumer wins.
- nazgulnarsil 18y agoif it truly is a case where the city isn't regulating but instead simply competing with the telcos and beating them that's great. I'm just paranoid because the government has the legal right to enforce whatever they can get away with.
- sachinag 18y agoThis is why Democratic orthodoxy on healthcare policy is to allow citizens to "buy into" Medicare. Premiums at every private firm would plummet and coverage would expand.
- nazgulnarsil 18y agoif this is true it is something i can support. free competition is the defining feature that has created the standard of living we enjoy. it is also the only thing that will bring that standard of living to the 3rd world. never ending aid doesn't fundamentally improve conditions.
- tdavis 18y agoWell, first off, they already offer 100mbit lines. Which as far as I know, no current telco does. Secondly, the answer to your question should be obvious: if the private business is doing it better, switch back to them. There is no exclusivity here; the local government has just shamed the shit out of the telcos (for now) by offering a far better product. I guess you could masochistically choose the worse provider...