Next up in Wisconsin, the dissolution of WiscNet!

[Gigantopithecus]

DERP.

Telco monopolies are one of the clearest examples of the failure of the free market in the US today. There's only one way that dismantling a cheaper and better on-ramp to the net and replacing it with a more expensive, shittier alternative makes sense: corruption, plain and simple corruption.

I'm sure the knee-jerk idiots who frequent this forum will call me a socialist/communist/whatever, but when a public service is better at everything other than lining the pockets of a corporation, you keep the public service and tell the corporation to pound sand.

Also, the irony of fellow Badgers posting this on Facebook with their AT&T iPhones will be absolutely delicious. /fuckingidiots

 

[a777pilot]

You're a socialist/communist/whatever.

 

[Gigantopithecus]

You're a socialist/communist/whatever.

Well played, sir!

 

[sMiLeYz]

I would gladly pay for public internet provider with better service, than comcast. They're so fucking bad they had to rename their service to xfinity rather than actually improve their service.

Call me a communist too, I support the WiscNet

 

[wuliheron]

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.

 

[cubby1223]

There's only one way that dismantling a cheaper and better on-ramp to the net and replacing it with a more expensive, shittier alternative makes sense: corruption, plain and simple corruption.

Let me see the actual numbers between the two competing services.

Factor in that WiscNet is HEAVILY subsidized by tax monies.

If you want to declare it cheaper, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Personally I don't know. What are ALL the numbers for the various options?

Maybe WiscNet is better. I don't know. But I'm not going to declare it is just because the government is creating it.

 

[cubby1223]

Articles and their own website seem to say WiscNet is only serving government/public buildings? Not out for commercial or residential services? Maybe it is cheaper for the government to cut a deal with an existing network. I don't know the true answer. And neither does anyone in this forum.

http://www.wiscnet.net/wiscnet-service-pricing-for-2011-2012
http://www.wiscnet.net/net-and-member-fees-for-2011-12

Not forgetting the, what, ~$60 million in federal tax money, how does that compare to the alternatives, in a way that is more substantive than "corporations=bad, government=good".


See, to me it appears that the differences between the two systems are who is responsible for paying the bill, the State of Wisconsin, or the Federal Government. In either case, it is the tax-payers footing the bill. Costs are hidden by these subsidies.

 

[spidey07]

I'm confused. It doesn't look like it's a residential ISP and is simply a state funded private network to connect different facilities?

If so, then absolutely they shouldn't be getting tax payer money meant for ISP service.

Many/most states and universities have such private networks that they build, fund and operate. But it's not The Intnernet nor is it internet access.

 

[Drako]

but when a public service is better at everything

Bwahahahahaha, hahahahah <gasp> bwahahahaha :biggrin:

Surely you can't be serious.

 

[theeedude]

I guess we'll see if privatization really saves money. My guess is it will simply move more taxpayer money to telecoms.

 

[Lemon law]

Wisconsin and its people have a long a proud record of being progressive. Every time ole Gov Walker and his ilk try to screw the people of Wisconsin, it just pounds another nail into the coffin of rip off artists like Walker.

At some point in time the people will learn to spell recall election. Or so liberals like me hope. If the Koch brothers are not bad enough, there are a bunch more pigs waiting in line.

 

[spidey07]

Wisconsin and its people have a long a proud record of being progressive. Every time ole Gov Walker and his ilk try to screw the people of Wisconsin, it just pounds another nail into the coffin of rip off artists like Walker.

At some point in time the people will learn to spell recall election. Or so liberals like me hope. If the Koch brothers are not bad enough, there are a bunch more pigs waiting in line.

Did you even read the article or understand what this is about?

You start. What is WiscNet and what does Patriot Walker have to do with it?

 

[cubby1223]

Every time ole Gov Walker and his ilk try to screw the people of Wisconsin

Show me the full set of numbers that show WiscNet is cheaper.

Honestly, I am open to believing either side. But I am not swayed by rhetoric. Nor by ideological guesses.

 

[spidey07]

My guess is OP has fallen for some college propaganda crap and doesn't know what WiscNet is. Why would a telco even care about a private network? Companies, states, cities build and operate their own networks all the time.

OP - can I get WiscNet as my ISP in Wisconsin?

Here, I'll bold it. Notice how the article said "'net access". The article is talking about access to a PRIVATE network and deliberately didn't call it "Internet Access".

The University of Wisconsin's Internet technology division and a crucial provider of 'Net access for Wisconsin's educational system are under attack from that state's legislature and from a local telecommunications association. At issue is the WiscNet educational cooperative. The non-profit provides affordable network access to the state's schools and libraries, although its useful days may be numbered unless the picture changes soon.

 

[davmat787]

Is it a failure of the free market system as the OP opines, or a failure of separation of corporation and state? I dunno.

I don't feel big business in and of itself is a bad thing, however, it sure would be nice to have more telco competition. But for me to say why that is not the case would probably just illustrate my naivete on the subject.

EDIT: I am speaking more in generalities regarding big telco/ISP based on the OP's "ATT post from" comment, rather than WiscNet specifically.

 

[TalonStrike]

I went to UW-Madison, and I have no idea what WiscNet is or what you are talking about. I say let whoever destroy it.

 

[spidey07]

So we have established op's rage is misdirected to a state/federal private network?

By golly! I demand access to this private network that happens to be connected to the intarweb, paid for with tax paying American dollars!

Damn those evil corporations! Rabble
Rabble
Rabble

Give me my shit for free! Rabble. Fucking communists. I squash them. I jump in it and I squash them.

 

[TalonStrike]

Why would you even need this "WiscNet"? I never used this this. Hows about you use Google to do your research like normal people do?

 

[waffleironhead]

Why would you even need this "WiscNet"? I never used this this. Hows about you use Google to do your research like normal people do?

wisnet is the broadband network provider that connects most of the wisconsin universities, schools and libraries. It was setup when it was the only option for researchers to share data across the state. This is a grab by the telecos who want the schools libraries and universities to pay them for net access rather than providing it for themselves.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

DERP.

Telco monopolies are one of the clearest examples of the failure of the free market in the US today. There's only one way that dismantling a cheaper and better on-ramp to the net and replacing it with a more expensive, shittier alternative makes sense: corruption, plain and simple corruption.

I'm sure the knee-jerk idiots who frequent this forum will call me a socialist/communist/whatever, but when a public service is better at everything other than lining the pockets of a corporation, you keep the public service and tell the corporation to pound sand.

Also, the irony of fellow Badgers posting this on Facebook with their AT&T iPhones will be absolutely delicious. /fuckingidiots

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

 

[CPA]

Did you even read the article or understand what this is about?

You start. What is WiscNet and what does Patriot Walker have to do with it?

What do you think? Of course he didn't. He saw Wisconsin in the title and went into instant "attack Walker" mode.

 

[TalonStrike]

wisnet is the broadband network provider that connects most of the wisconsin universities, schools and libraries. It was setup when it was the only option for researchers to share data across the state. This is a grab by the telecos who want the schools libraries and universities to pay them for net access rather than providing it for themselves.

I still don't see how this would affect anyone. Is it necessary for D2L and SOLAR? Or is it mainly for research?

 

[waffleironhead]

I still don't see how this would affect anyone. Is it necessary for D2L and SOLAR? Or is it mainly for research?

I'm not sure what you are asking here. Wiscnet is the network provider for over 400 government entities. If wiscnet is dissolved, all of the government entities will need to purchase their network access from at&t and the like.
This leaves a big question mark on the quality of service they are going to end up with and how much it is going to cost the state by switching to private providers.

 

[spidey07]

I'm not sure what you are asking here. Wiscnet is the network provider for over 400 government entities. If wiscnet is dissolved, all of the government entities will need to purchase their network access from at&t and the like.
This leaves a big question mark on the quality of service they are going to end up with and how much it is going to cost the state by switching to private providers.

God dammit. Do you have any idea what you're talking about?

I swear. If I have to explain networks to the ignorant fucktards on this forum one more time my head will assplode

 

[cubby1223]

http://wistechnology.com/articles/4761/
May 20, 2008

Madison, Wis. - Frustrated by the comparatively expensive broadband service offered by the BadgerNet Converged Network, a growing number of Wisconsin school districts and municipal libraries have gone to private Internet service providers outside the BCN when adding bandwidth.

The BCN, also known as BadgerNet, is the provider of converged data and video services to Wisconsin education and government sites. It was established to provide scalable bandwidth to authorized users, but now finds itself in a price-disadvantaged position in urban and potentially in rural areas.

There are no qualms about the quality of the service, particularly the two-way video that enables distance learning in classrooms, but in only the second year of a five-year contract, the BCN is being bypassed in favor private sector vendors.

Thanks to the volatile technology market, state officials concede the BCN's original business requirements, which were established two to three years before the contract was finalized, require an updated business model.

...

In urban areas, Bocher said it's not unusual to see a five- or six-fold cost differential between the BCN and alternative vendors.

&#8220;DPI is a strong supporter of the BCN,&#8221; Bocher said, &#8220;but by the same token schools are caught between a rock and a hard place. I know from the phone calls and e-mails I get that this is an issue.&#8221;

...