Tag Archives: telecommunications_act

Government, Ruminations, Technology

Catch the NextBus VI – 24 Hours Later

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If I wasn’t focused on bridging our community’s digital divide, I might be tempted to ignore the ridiculously high price Chapel Hill is paying for NextBus’ proprietary system, avoid the recalcitrance of some of our staff and forgo the hassle of trying to undo a “done deal”.

Yet, while alternatives exist, I can’t stand by as we waste a million dollar opportunity to advance the social, economic and operational goals of our town.

What alternatives? Portsmouth UK’s system, with bus stop Wifi hotspots, offers an attractive model for Chapel Hill.

What waste?

Imagine ubiquitous Wifi-MESH Internet connectivity spreading several hundred feet beyond each transit corridor – covering each Park-n-Ride.

For the same $949,025 we could blanket huge swaths of Town with a citizen-owned network.

CivilLiberties, Government, Ruminations, Technology

Net neutrality at risk…

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The ‘net is the new Town Commons and the commons are under attack from the same feckless monopolists that charge us $200 billion in excess fees under the ’96 Telecommunications Act provisions to provide high-speed symetrical broadband but instead pilfered the bucks.

The latest offense? Throttling ubiquitous access to ‘net-based services.

Local audio activist and muni-network proponent BrianR has covered the salient issues quite well.

If you want a 2-minute video synopsis, here’s a clip from MyDD.

A Chapel Hill municipally-sponsored network will help keep the commons free for all. Next month, if all goes well, a public forum will be held on the benfits of citizen-owned communications.