Re: Should we oppose the Data Superhighway/NII?

[fnerd@smds.com (FutureNerd Steve Witham)]

Mike Godwin sez

> In order to get to a world in which free markets can meet our demand for
> high-bandwidth connectivity, we have to dig ourselves out from the 
> market-failure position we're in now. And because government is part of
> the problem, changing government policy is part of the solution. So,
> that's one of the major thrusts of EFF's NII policy. 

As I understand it, for both telephones and cable TV, it is still common
for local governments to "grant" "franchises" to single companies for
phone and cable wires.  If there were one thing to change, that would be
it.

In other words, the "market failure" you're talking about is in a 
situation where the law forbids a market.  And the change required is 
that the government not be involved.  It would be nice if that were
how EFF stated its NII policy: Yankee Go Home.

Also, isn't the FCC is somehow involved in defining 
cable and telephone services, and what combinations of services 
companies are allowed to offer?  Or am I thinking of "information
providers" vs....something?  Here again, the limitation is merely in
what's legal.

-fnerd@smds.com
quote me
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