A community that gave up on a high-priced and low-speed telecommunications company builds its own broadband network, but the telecommunications company interferes but fails
In the city of Bountiful in northern Utah, it was decided to invest $ 48 million (about 6.8 billion yen) to build an optical fiber network. An organization called the Utah Taxpayers Association tried to oppose the move, but failed. The existence of telecommunications company Comcast and CDN company Lumen is suggested behind the movement.
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In the United States, there are companies that monopolize the telecommunications business in some regions, and there are cases where they are forced to use services that are ``high rates but low speed''. This is why more than 600 communities are moving away from these monopolies to build their own community networks.
The city of Bountiful, Utah is one of them, with plans to build an affordable gigabit network in the city for $48 million starting in early 2023. The money will be financed through a bond issue, which was unanimously approved by the City Council, but the Utah Taxpayers Association is gathering signatures against it.
Gigi Thorn, Secretary General of the American Public Broadband Association, points out that behind the Utah Taxpayers Association there were major telecommunications companies, Comcast and CDN companies, Lumen.
Gigi Sohn: Bountiful City voted for fiber broadband. Big cable wants to take it away.
https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2023/07/09/gigi-sohn-bountiful-city-voted/
Thorne said Comcast and Lumen have long opposed building community-owned broadband and are providing financial support to groups like the Utah Taxpayers Association to maintain market dominance. matter.
Ultimately, when the required signatures were not collected by the deadline for submission of signatures, Thorne said, 'The people of Bountiful have been very vocal, saying that the city is working with service provider UTOPIA Fiber . People have shown they want to build a universal and affordable broadband network, they rejected a telecom industry-backed slush campaign, and the city council wants to create a community-owned network We did not yield to the unanimous policy of ``.
Bountiful Mayor Kendarin Harris said, 'The residents of Bountiful organized the 'Fiber for Bountiful' campaign and thoroughly explored many options. We look forward to providing an important service to residents and businesses.'
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