xepherys

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...120201853.html


So, uhm... Bell South can eat my shorts. It's great to see virtual monopolies "threatened" by "state-sponsored competition". It also amuses me that they would rescind an offer to HELP disaster-stricken people. When did helping become bad business. Let's look at two scenarios:

Scenario A:

Person 1: "Hey, do you remember when SBC gave the city that building? Man, that was sweet!"
Person 2: "Yeah, that's why I use them for DSL now. Since I moved out of NO, I don't have that tasty free wireless anymore. It's like $1/month more expensive than the others, but they seem like decent ppl. I'd rather support them!"
Person 1: "No doubt! I might switch to them, too!"


Scenario B:

Person 1: "Man, I moved out of NO and don't have my free wireless anymore... who should I use?"
Person 2: "I dunno, I guess SBC or Comcast or something"
Person 1: "Fuck SBC... they decided a few quick bucks now were more important that my hometown, man. Just fuck those guys!"
Person 2: "Oh yeah! Dude, that was rotten man. I wouldn't use them either"



So, I wonder which is better for your company?!

Glory's Sun

The bottom line is the bottom line. Business is business. Obviously Scenario B is what SBC felt was right for their company. Do I find them at fault or blame them? Not really. It's no different than hotels stopping their free services because it's just impossible to keep supporting these people and make money at the same time.

This is America.. the land of the capitalists..

Jinn

I can definitely see it from Bell South's perspective too.. you're offering to be charitable and donate an entire building to help rebuild a city, and they announce a plan to put you out of business in that very city. Who the hell would use Bellsouth if they could use free wireless? Why should they "donate" (more of vested interest then a donation) a building to a city trying to screw them out of money?

However, I'm all for localities giving their own internet service, and I hope Bellsouth burns in hellll!!!!1

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Charlatan

You just have to love when "charity" comes with strings attached...

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Glory's Sun

That charity was met with a smack in the face. I'm not going to help someone who turns around and slaps me.

Charlatan

It all depends on how you view it... BellSouth offers a lot of services besides Internet access. Add to this the fact that New Orleans didn't outlaw competition.

__________________
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- Old Man Luedecke

xepherys

As I recall, the Bells are TELEPHONE companies first. As long as it's been since I've had one, most Americans do still have landlines for telephony. This especially includes businesses. In fact, businesses that might be swayed by such acts far outweigh home users. Also, not ALL home users have or would want wireless.

At any rate, it was a damaged building. BellSouth is going to have to pay to reconstruct the building. In the capitalist spirit of BellSouth, I hope New Orleans decides to pass rezoning for that area (I doubt many citizens would care) or at a bare minimum find a way to tax the bejeebus out of BellSouth, in kind of course.

flstf

The "free wireless" concept is being fought in several other cities as well. The telcoms are trying to protect their business plans. As I understand it they are even fighting free wireless in places where they haven't considered providing the service yet. I guess they do not want the government providing services in which they can make a profit on. If this concept catches on and major cities start providing the service for free it will cut them out of a lot of business.

For publicity reasons BellSouth should probably have resisted fighting NOLA on this.

xepherys

I wonder if government groups could not create "government corporations" like the USPS, Amtrak, et cetera, to get around this. Have a MINIMAL charge, paid for a by a specifically passed taxation (like 0.2%) where people really wouldn't notice it, then tell the other companies to screw themselves.

flamingdog

I guess it's down to them what they do or don't do, but it smacks of sour grapes to me, pure and simple. I'm sure Bell South is big enough to take it on the chin.

Xepherys - I suppose that's too close to socialism. Free market competition, dammit! Ironic, of course, that Bell South is having legislation tabled to prevent competition, but money talks, I suppose.

Glory's Sun

yeah just what we need.. more government institutuons

flamingdog

Because your corporations are doing a bang-up job of not screwing you over every chance you get. Ref: OP.

Glory's Sun

I'd rather a corporation take my money than the government taking more of it. :shrug:

Jinn

^^ More accurately, I'd rather have the OPTION of paying a corporation than being FORCED to pay the government.

__________________
"I'm typing on a computer of science, which is being sent by science wires to a little science server where you can access it. I'm not typing on a computer of philosophy or religion or whatever other thing you think can be used to understand the universe because they're a poor substitute in the role of understanding the universe which exists independent from ourselves." - Willravel

xepherys

well, that's kind of what government corporations are all about. I've NEVER travelled on Amtrak... I give my money to NWA and Southwest mostly. Oh, and the oil companies. I also ofetn choose to use DHL or UPS or Fedex rather than USPS. *shrug* With government corporations you DO have that choice. In my scenario above, you have a choice to use Comcast, Cox, SBC, BellSouth, et cetera.

Ustwo

The reason you don't use them is, being government, where NO one is really accountable for the bottom line or customer service, they tend to suck, badly.

Also being government they protect themselves from the same rules which apply to real companies. When my wife was almost killed by a post office semi the post office pulled the government card and we were unable to get anything out of them besides bluebook for the car and they paid off her insurance company for the medical bills. Had that been a UPS truck a lawyer friend of mine said that would have been a 30k accident + the rest. Now I'm not arguing that it SHOULD have been 30k paid to her, thats a whole other issue, but when the government finds it odious to play by its own rules, it makes you wonder whats going on.

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martinguerre

yeah, but do you really want your water company to be competitive? have three sets of pipes running to every house?

there are places where market competition comes at too high a price to the market in disorganization. wifi access might be one of them. i would strongly consider moving to a town that had that over one that didn't...and a government has the right to compete for my tax dollars in that way, no?

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xepherys

Ustwo-

I disagree. The government was playing by IT'S rules. The rules imposed in a civil court in a law suit matter, is a CIVIL ruling. The extra 30k would've been excess and is imposed by the public due to our recent litigious nature. The government had no business paying anymore. Those rules stick all the time. The judge who would've awarded you extra would've been in a local court, and most likely voted in by local folk... not ALL courts nationwide would've given you anything above and beyond damages.

Also, there is only one set of phone wires running to my apartment, but more than one carrier (Talk America? Bell?). In fact, there are some areas in the country where your one set of electical lines can provide you with power from more than one possible company.

flamingdog

Indeed, in the UK gas prices took a tumble in recent years thanks to denationalisation of the gas providers. Electricity companies were suddenly undercutting each other to be the ones to supply the exact same gas through the exact same pipes for less money... same with power a few years earlier, and phones around the same time. Further edit: By 'gas' I mean natural gas, not 'petrol'. Damn Atlantic Ocean.

I think Bell South ought to have the right to compete with the government on an even playing field. Edit: Or perhaps that makes more sense the other way round.

If the government can provide Wifi access without gouging a fat wedge of cash out of us, then why the hell can't Bell South do the same?

Ustwo

You disagree that government run companies like the post office and Amtrak suck?

__________________
Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host

Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps.

Mantus

Government or Big Business, Government or Big Business, hmmmmm. That like having a choice between a BK cheesburger and a Quarter Pounder with cheese.

xepherys

Ustwo-

I think Amtrak sucks... I think the USPS is just fine, but I also specifically explained what I disagreed with regarding your statement... that the government was playing by a different set of rules in that particular case.

and Mantus, what is the alternative? A modern world filled with mom and pop shops? I don't want Joe Nobody's internet service or Jane Doe's Model X Auto. *shrug*

flamingdog

I don't think Big Business in and of itself is the problem, it's just the way Big Business is run seems to be, on the whole, antithetical to the needs and best interests of the Little Guy. I don't have a problem with large-scale businesses, I just wish they were run by people who were a bit less greedy.

Mantus

Business should stick to business and govenment should stick to govenment. The system works as well as any other. What would really help though is an informed consumer/voter. I know, I know, having Nigella Lawson be my private cook has a better chance of comming true than that silly dream.

jorgelito

No fair! I saw her first!!!

*sigh* What a woman....