Quote:
Originally Posted by GH85Carrera
So all the people with jobs to provide the service of internet to a house or business, and the individual purchases of routers and switches all have the government going into competition against them. Competing against free is difficult.
I remember when Wal Mart first got into the grocery business it terrified all the small grocery stores. Now Wal Mart controls the business. Having Wal Mart as your competition is tough free government service is impossible to compete against.
Of course in reality we all know the entire program will be run with the efficiency of the TSA and the Post Office. The free Wi-fi will be at dial up speed with frequent interruptions. The Department of Wi-Fi will be more expensive then the TSA & Post Office and less efficient.
It is a stupid idea. Right up there with free cell phones.
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Glen, you're using a bit of hyperbole here.
First, the main means of transportation a hundred years ago was by train. Then the US highway system and later the interstate highway system made the new technology (cars & trucks) the primary way to move around the country. Then there's the whole airline industry and FAA to add to the mix. What happened to the rail companies? Mergers, failures, reduction in areas served. Somehow the republic survived and although some businesses lost out, others sprung up and provided more and better capabilities than what the rail companies provided.
Walmart is a corporate (near-)monopoly. What the FCC is proposing is more like US/interstate highways competing with rail lines.
This service would likely be under the FCC, who reports to Congress, not a new department that reports to the White House.
The comparison to free cell phones is incorrect. Once again, it sounds to me like it's more like making (internet) highways available for use. Products that run on it will be produced and sold to the public. This will probably create a large number of private sector jobs and increase technical innovation.
Highways aren't free (think gas taxes), so I'm not going to imply this will be any "more" free. But, the idea is intriguing.