Provo's Epic Announcement

[Indy Coug]

Each and every household in Provo will still be paying $116 per year, on average, in taxes for the next 12 years for a fiber network that google will own.

That's why Google is offering such low prices for their superior internet service.

[VirginiaCougar]

For $1 Provo is handing over the keys to their internet monopoly to a company that will invade their citizen's privacy and flood their screens with ads all while claiming they "do no evil". Each and every household in Provo will still be paying $116 per year, on average, in taxes for the next 12 years for a fiber network that google will own.

On the positive side, the good citizens of Provo will most likely finally get enough internet bandwidth to support their porn appetite.

I find this interesting, so the federal government shouldn't have developed the interstate highway system, not because of the economic development and return it has brought, but because some people drink and drive?

As far as returns on investment, consider that the numbers for railroads for the US are the same - pretty much given to the private sector which in turn made huge profits. Perhaps the better example is the internet - how much of the US economy has been built, developed because the US government developed what became the internet? How many trillions of dollars? Seems like a pretty nice return on the millions the US government spent to develop it. Isn't infrastructure a proper role for government (local, state, national) whether it be roads, water, electrical, fiber? Obviously it can be done poorly but can't it also end up being a good thing?

In this case, no way Google Fiber goes to Provo without IProvo. I suspect the city with have a very nice return on investment with the economic development which will occur.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I find this interesting, so the federal government shouldn't have developed the interstate highway system, not because of the economic development and return it has brought, but because some people drink and drive?

As far as returns on investment, consider that the numbers for railroads for the US are the same - pretty much given to the private sector which in turn made huge profits. Perhaps the better example is the internet - how much of the US economy has been built, developed because the US government developed what became the internet? How many trillions of dollars? Seems like a pretty nice return on the millions the US government spent to develop it. Isn't infrastructure a proper role for government (local, state, national) whether it be roads, water, electrical, fiber? Obviously it can be done poorly but can't it also end up being a good thing?

In this case, no way Google Fiber goes to Provo without IProvo. I suspect the city with have a very nice return on investment with the economic development which will occur.

Before yesterday, iProvo was arguably a shaky investment. Yesterday it turned into a grand slam.

[Commando]

Yeah I wish Phoenix would make such a shaky investment. I hate Centurylink.

[Uncle Ted]

I find this interesting, so the federal government shouldn't have developed the interstate highway system, not because of the economic development and return it has brought, but because some people drink and drive?

As far as returns on investment, consider that the numbers for railroads for the US are the same - pretty much given to the private sector which in turn made huge profits. Perhaps the better example is the internet - how much of the US economy has been built, developed because the US government developed what became the internet? How many trillions of dollars? Seems like a pretty nice return on the millions the US government spent to develop it. Isn't infrastructure a proper role for government (local, state, national) whether it be roads, water, electrical, fiber? Obviously it can be done poorly but can't it also end up being a good thing?

In this case, no way Google Fiber goes to Provo without IProvo. I suspect the city with have a very nice return on investment with the economic development which will occur.

This is very different from railroads. Contrary from what Obama may way say the government didn't build the railroad. The government did help in the building the railroads by granting right-of-way and land. The government also helped with loans. In the end the individual railroads are the ones that built the railroads and profited.

As for the government or Al Gore building the internet that didn't happen either. It is true the government funded much of the early research but it was the internet companies that built the internet as we know it today. The government does deserve a lot the credit for funding a lot of the R&D work.

With the case of iProvo the government should have been providing the right-of-way. They should have using the funding for making it easier for companies (not just one company) to bring connectivity to people's homes. For example, installing the conduit. What Provo is doing instead is crony capitalism. Google is the only company that will be benefiting from the tax payer's investment. Other companies, including like Utah's own home grown XMission, are getting shafted. They don't get any access to that $39mm dollar fiber plant but now have to compete with google.

There is no comparison between this and the railroads.

Before yesterday, iProvo was arguably a shaky investment. Yesterday it turned into a grand slam.

Yes, most likely a grand slam for google. From what I understand they will provide some free internet for the first seven years. It most likely won't even be their premium service that will most likely never be upgraded. After seven years google will have driven out of the competition and the good people of Provo will be screwed. Without competition google is free to be evil.

The good news is that provo city will be getting out of the ISP business they should have never been in to begin with.

Edit: I wouldn't be surprised that this action by provo city doesn't spawn some lawsuits. Did Provo City offer the same deal that google is getting to other companies, for example?

[Indy Coug]

My hope is that Google Fiber is the shot across the bow that snaps the various local broadband quasi-monopolies to get their shit together and start offering better service at better speeds. If that requires Google to drive out the competition in a handful of cities before Comcast/CenturyLink/et al sober up, so be it.

[Uncle Ted]

That's why Google is offering such low prices for their superior internet service.

The good people of KC are getting the same free internet from google for a one time fee of $300. The people of provo will be paying $1392 ($116 x 12 years, on average) for their "free" 5Mbps internet, from what I understand.

Edit: Oops, I forgot to add in that $30 hookup fee so make that $1422 for "free" internet.

I get truly free internet every time I go to Mickey D's.

[Indy Coug]

The good people of KC are getting the same free internet from google for a one time fee of $300. The people of provo will be paying $1392 ($116 x 12 years, on average) for their "free" 5Mbps internet, from what I understand.

1. There's a lot fewer people to spread that cost across.

2. That's the premium Provo pays to be one of the big boys, rather than some glorified college town.

3. With huge Mormon families, the per capita cost is the same.

[VirginiaCougar]

This is very different from railroads. Contrary from what Obama may way say the government didn't build the railroad. The government did help in the building the railroads by granting right-of-way and land. The government also helped with loans. In the end the individual railroads are the ones that built the railroads and profited.

As for the government or Al Gore building the internet that didn't happen either. It is true the government funded much of the early research but it was the internet companies that built the internet as we know it today. The government does deserve a lot the credit for funding a lot of the R&D work.

With the case of iProvo the government should have been providing the right-of-way. They should have using the funding for making it easier for companies (not just one company) to bring connectivity to people's homes. For example, installing the conduit. What Provo is doing instead is crony capitalism. Google is the only company that will be benefiting from the tax payer's investment. Other companies, including like Utah's own home grown XMission, are getting shafted. They don't get any access to that $39mm dollar fiber plant but now have to compete with google.

There is no comparison between this and the railroads.



Yes, most likely a grand slam for google. From what I understand they will provide some free internet for the first seven years. It most likely won't even be their premium service that will most likely never be upgraded. After seven years google will have driven out of the competition and the good people of Provo will be screwed. Without competition google is free to be evil.

The good news is that provo city will be getting out of the ISP business they should have never been in to begin with.

Edit: I wouldn't be surprised that this action by provo city doesn't spawn some lawsuits. Did Provo City offer the same deal that google is getting to other companies, for example?

Didn't you just note quite a few similarities?

[Uncle Ted]

Didn't you just note quite a few similarities?

I don't recall the government building the railroad and selling it to one company for a $1.

[pellegrino]

I think I will move to Provo.

Yes, you should. Now the Stadium of Fire has to play second fiddle to google fiber. It's gooder than others, you know.

[YOhio]

Before yesterday, iProvo was arguably a shaky investment. Yesterday it turned into a grand slam.

Plus a big and to UTOPIA.

[Shaka]

Mr. Nugent you are a killjoy.
I politely request that you pin on your raccoon tail and loin cloth and go kill yourself something to eat!

[Uncle Ted]

Mr. Nugent you are a killjoy.
I politely request that you pin on your raccoon tail and loin cloth and go kill yourself something to eat!

I am just trying keep Lebowski from doing something crazy over this announcement, like taking his life savings and putting it in some startup internet company.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I am just trying keep Lebowski from doing something crazy over this announcement, like taking his life savings and putting it in some startup internet company.

lol. What kind of fool would do that?!?