Re: Choice of ISP

["Ruben Safir Secretary NYLXS" <user=91@nabble.blu.org>]

 On Sun, May 18, 2008 at 03:25:19PM -0400, Dan Ritter wrote: 
> On Sun, May 18, 2008 at 02:36:38PM -0400, Ruben Safir wrote: 
> > > 
> > > This is true, but the cable companies do need a franchise from the 
> > > local community at the present time. They tried to change that a few 
> > > years ago, but failed. 
> > 
> > I am confused about that allows them to lay a line through the streets 
> > where no other companies aside from Verizon is allowed to do that? 
> 
> Well, you're confused because it's not true. Outside my house there are 
> lines from one ILEC (VZ), two cablecos (Comcast, RCN, two fiber providers 
> (one of whom does not serve residential customers, the other is VZ), and 
> conduit that can have the rights purchased by anyone who can 
> make a deal with the city. 
> 
> If your city or state is making bad (and/or monopolistic) 
> contracts on your behalf, perhaps you should get politically 
> active. 
>