I'm with you on this -- the monopoly is completely anti-consumer. The problem is that with significantly lower operating costs, the city will be able to drive the telcos out, and then THEY will be the monopoly. I hate private monopolies but I hate the state as monopoly equally. Simple solution here. Tell the city they cannot collect fees/taxes on the ISPs we're all good. I definitely want the city to come in and bust up the Telco monopoly -- I just don't want one monopoly to be replaced by another.
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I agree the way the telcos are going about this is wrong though. I'd rather see legislation like: Where municipalities set up their own ISP, they cannot assess city taxes or fees on competing ISPs."
It's all about operating costs -- make those as equal as you can, and THEN let everyone compete.
>provision of communications service
They used that language because it's internet today, and VOIP tomorrow.
>Is a telco or cable company required to keep separate accounts for their internet service?
Geez. http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2296405/
>...the bill would say that *ALL* internet providers would be subject to these rules
That is an excellent suggestion, and I agree that would be the perfect wording. On the other hand, I doubt that the current Telcos are collecting much in the way trash and water fees.
We are each entitled to our own opinion, but no one is entitled to his own facts. -- Patrick Moynihan