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from the if-you-build-it-they-will-come dept.
TechDirt reports
Grassroots revolution [such as cities building fiber networks themselves or striking public/private partnerships with companies like Google Fiber or Ting/Tucows] is precisely why large ISPs like Charter, Comcast, and AT&T have spent the last decade lobbying for (and in most instances directly writing) protectionist bills across twenty different states banning local citizens from making these kinds of decisions for themselves. If you want to see precisely why these regional monopolists are so afraid, you need look no further than Huntsville, Alabama.
City-owned Huntsville Utilities has been building a fiber broadband network that should service the lion's share of the city's homes and businesses over the next few years. What's more, the network will be open access--meaning that ISPs can come in and compete with each other over the regional infrastructure. Google Fiber has already signed up to be one of at least three ISPs taking advantage of the build, and should begin offering service there by the middle of this year.
Have any Soylentils had this happen in their area?
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Nobuddy on Sunday February 19 2017, @06:33AM
It is great. 12 isp compete. No caps, no limits, no throttling. Gigabit up and down. customer service is fantastic.
Why? Because changing isp is a simple phone call. Instantaneous and no interruption of service at all. True competition.
Comcast and Clearwire keep running disinformation campaigns every time an expansion is proposed . They were invited to use the fiber on the same terms as everyone else, but refused. Last thing they want is a free market.