The city of Bountiful, Utah voted to build a $48 million fiber network to provide affordable gigabit broadband for its residents and businesses. Regional internet providers Comcast and CenturyLink opposed the plan and tried to force a public vote through a taxpayer group they fund. However, communities often build their own networks because existing options are inadequate. Data shows that community-owned networks provide better, faster, cheaper service than monopolies. While big internet providers claim community networks are a boondoggle, they are just another business plan that often succeeds due to quality proposals and local accountability. Comcast and CenturyLink did not want to provide the high-speed internet Bountiful needed, but also tried to block the city from doing so itself.
You love to see it. Do you have community Internet available where you live?
Some of the best internet in the world is in Romania, where just by pure chance it’s all private but with the government owning the last mile. That’s how it should be, companies are only effective if there is an effective market keeping them that way.
Monopolies should be busted, natural monopolies should be either state owned or very tightly regulated including the prices as there is no true price discovery when there is no competition.