Next up in Wisconsin, the dissolution of WiscNet!

[Jhhnn]

Badgernet & Wiscnet aren't the same thing, cubby... The alternative vendor mentioned in your link is likely Wiscnet...

The truth in all of htis isn't hard to figure out- first give back &39M in federal funds, so that Wisconsin residents can "save money" & "create jobs" when public entities switch from a subsidized non-profit to the tender mercies of AT&T.

It's a tribute to the mind addling capabilities of right wing propaganda that anybody believes it.

 

[cubby1223]

From what I've been reading from google searches, WiscNet uses BadgerNet's tubes to provide the service. AT&T and other private telcos owns the physical cables across the state, BadgerNet leases service from the telcos. WiscNet buys bandwidth from BadgerNet connecting to end users. And federal subsidizes are what makes WiscNet cheap.

It seems to me to boil down to this:
Should the internet service for Wisconsin State institutions be paid for by the institutions themselves, or by available federal grants?

 

[cubby1223]

Right now sonic.net is installing a 1gb/s optical fiber test system they intend to charge $70.oo a month for unlimited internet and long distance. The telecoms can play with the legal system and try to maximize their profits on slow connections for only so long and they know it.

You'd be getting a 1gb/s connection between yourself and sonic.net. You will not be getting a guaranteed 1gb/s connection between yourself and sonic.net's upstream ISP.

 

[wuliheron]

You'd be getting a 1gb/s connection between yourself and sonic.net. You will not be getting a guaranteed 1gb/s connection between yourself and sonic.net's upstream ISP.

They're also offering a 100mb connection and telephone w/ long distance for $40.oo, while other companies are charging 100-200 dollars a month just for an internet connection that fast. The point is they are intent on providing serious competition with a service the monopolies can't touch using the existing infrastructure. Either the monopolies start providing a similar service/price point or they can watch their customers flee in droves to sonic.

 

[davmat787]

They're also offering a 100mb connection and telephone w/ long distance for $40.oo, while other companies are charging 100-200 dollars a month just for an internet connection that fast. The point is they are intent on providing serious competition with a service the monopolies can't touch using the existing infrastructure. Either the monopolies start providing a similar service/price point or they can watch their customers flee in droves to sonic.

My understanding is that they are only hooking up 700 customers, and then will take a look and the numbers and viability down the road. They literally have to run fiber to each customer, so a massive rollout that would compete with Comcast/ATT is not realistic at this point. Nice to dream, but the existing cable and other last mile tech already in place has the major ISPs at a huge advantage, and presents an enormous obstacle for these uppity startups like Sonic.

 

[CPA]

Badgernet & Wiscnet aren't the same thing, cubby... The alternative vendor mentioned in your link is likely Wiscnet...

The truth in all of htis isn't hard to figure out- first give back &39M in federal funds, so that Wisconsin residents can "save money" & "create jobs" when public entities switch from a subsidized non-profit to the tender mercies of AT&T.

It's a tribute to the mind addling capabilities of right wing propaganda that anybody believes it.

It said alternative "private" provider, so highly doubt it's Wiscnet. But, what do I know, I've probably been brainwashed by the right wing propaganda internet service provider machine.

 

[Double Trouble]

How does the "failure" of government sanctioned monopolies say anything at all about the free market?

This.

How can one make any conclusions about the free market and it's failures when the free market isn't allowed to operate? The government has created all these monopoly situations for ISP's, of course we're going to get shitty products and prices when there's no real competition. This is not failure of the free market, it's failure by way of government interference.

 

[wuliheron]

My understanding is that they are only hooking up 700 customers, and then will take a look and the numbers and viability down the road. They literally have to run fiber to each customer, so a massive rollout that would compete with Comcast/ATT is not realistic at this point. Nice to dream, but the existing cable and other last mile tech already in place has the major ISPs at a huge advantage, and presents an enormous obstacle for these uppity startups like Sonic.

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

If sonic's system is successful it means they could find investors willing to help them expand and exactly how much money people might be willing to invest is the real issue. Certainly the demand is there and growing fast with bandwidth hogging content providers like Netflix growing by leaps and bounds. Even if sonic only focuses on the larger cities to begin with that's a big dent in the monopolies' bottom line that will force them to either lower their prices or innovate.

 

[Jaskalas]

I think it's up to the people of Wisconsin to figure out if running their own ISP has been cost effective and working out for them. I have no problem with a state being free to do such a thing if they wanted.

Though I would like to point out the logical fallacy of 'oh it'll cost us more'. No duh, the costs shift from running your ISP to paying another. The savings from not running the ISP can go into paying that.

 

[Jaskalas]

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

If sonic's system is successful it means they could find investors willing to help them expand and exactly how much money people might be willing to invest is the real issue. Certainly the demand is there and growing fast with bandwidth hogging content providers like Netflix growing by leaps and bounds. Even if sonic only focuses on the larger cities to begin with that's a big dent in the monopolies' bottom line that will force them to either lower their prices or innovate.

I'd dump my ISP in a second for that deal from Sonic. Of course I happen to live a couple thousand miles away from their testbed. Aw well, I'm quite happy with 40mb cable.

 

[Jhhnn]

From what I've been reading from google searches, WiscNet uses BadgerNet's tubes to provide the service. AT&T and other private telcos owns the physical cables across the state, BadgerNet leases service from the telcos. WiscNet buys bandwidth from BadgerNet connecting to end users. And federal subsidizes are what makes WiscNet cheap.

It seems to me to boil down to this:
Should the internet service for Wisconsin State institutions be paid for by the institutions themselves, or by available federal grants?

I brought this back to the front to correct some misinformation.

To put it in comparative terms, UW Chief Information Officer Ed Meachen told WTN News that because of the different bandwidth pricing approaches, WiscNet costs the UW system $2 million a year. BadgerNet would cost $8 million.

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...t-fights-telecoms-attempts-to-kill-it-off.ars

Anybody who can't get a whiff of some behind the scenes payola for Repubs, likely perfectly legal, doesn't have much of a nose...

 

[spidey07]

I brought this back to the front to correct some misinformation.



http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...t-fights-telecoms-attempts-to-kill-it-off.ars

Anybody who can't get a whiff of some behind the scenes payola for Repubs, likely perfectly legal, doesn't have much of a nose...

By all means, do explain the difference between the two networks in technical terms and capex/opex expenditures and where those funds come from.

Fucking idiot.

 

[Jhhnn]

By all means, do explain the difference between the two networks in technical terms and capex/opex expenditures and where those funds come from.

Fucking idiot.

If you know so much, you explain. Cut to the bottom line. Tell us how the people of Wisconsin will "save money" by spending more for the same thing.

Should be amusing, anyway.