tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post1541159621291399462..comments2023-09-25T21:22:28.439-04:00Comments on Cup Of Joe Powell: More on AT&T's Plan To Avoid Local FeesJoe Powellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04326800254526438870noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-30152752880487922552008-02-25T01:35:00.000-05:002008-02-25T01:35:00.000-05:00I like to use AT&T plans...I like to use <A HREF="http://www.couponalbum.com/coupons/att.htm" REL="nofollow">AT&T</A> plans...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-81692000428318398972007-12-16T15:25:00.000-05:002007-12-16T15:25:00.000-05:00It's all about build out. It's not that AT&T does...It's all about build out. <BR/><BR/>It's not that AT&T doesn't want to negotiate with local governments. The reality is AT&T cannot abide by the rightful position of local governments that it serve everyone with advanced Internet-based telecommunications services and not redline certain neighborhoods, arbitrarily picking winners and losers.<BR/><BR/>AT&T wants the state to sanction and codify this market conduct so it can roll out broadband on the cheap. This will divide Tennessee into two states, one with high speed Internet access and related services and one without. Giving the blessing of public policy to this strategy will have negative repercussions for many years to come.Fred Pilothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18352861125794506929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-37516753398046593142007-12-13T13:11:00.000-05:002007-12-13T13:11:00.000-05:00The city of Morrisown will lose no cable franchise...The city of Morrisown will lose no cable franchise fees, because Hamblen County holds the cable franchises. Hamblen County will lose franchise fees because they will be paid to the franchising authority-the state of TN.sniktahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07806135513512798914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-26811972610111647052007-12-13T12:44:00.000-05:002007-12-13T12:44:00.000-05:00What franchise fees will Morristown lose? All cabl...What franchise fees will Morristown lose? All cable TV providers pay franchise fees.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-63759364167902940092007-12-13T12:28:00.000-05:002007-12-13T12:28:00.000-05:00"Local governments will have to make up for the fr...<I>"Local governments will have to make up for the franchise fees they will lose."</I><BR/><BR/>Yep.Joe Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326800254526438870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-76047817679418212312007-12-13T12:11:00.000-05:002007-12-13T12:11:00.000-05:00Amen Snitka, Here's one fact Tnreader: The truth i...Amen Snitka, <BR/><BR/>Here's one fact Tnreader: The truth is that MUS can repay an $18 million bond issue for fiber optic Internet, TV and telephone service with fewer than 5,000 customers inside the city limits. <BR/><BR/>The same is true for the $18 million bond issue for outside the city limits. <BR/><BR/>How much more was Charter making with thousands more customers?<BR/><BR/>I have nothing against people making money, even billions. Paul Allen made billions in Microsoft, but it's no secret he's raking in tens of millions as the largest stockholder and president of Charter. <BR/><BR/>He has a 412-foot, $300 million yacht that comes with a submarine, helipad, hangar, concert hall, basketball court and a garage full of luxury cars. <BR/><BR/>Also, MUS is just plain better. With Charter I could get music download rates - at best - of approximately 45kbs.<BR/><BR/>With MUS, I've gotten download rates as fast as 280kbs. You can easily download three songs at one time at rates over 45kbs. <BR/><BR/>Oh yeah, it's also cheaper.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-59839292635028341002007-12-13T11:56:00.000-05:002007-12-13T11:56:00.000-05:00Let me start off by stating that I do not post ano...Let me start off by stating that I do not post anonymously here, and that I am not defending any comments made to this thread by anyone other than me (and this is my first on this thread). I feel, however, that tnreader is not cognizant of all the facts on this issue. <BR/><BR/>The state-of-the-art network built by MUS is not going to serve "a few thousand people", as you state. When it is complete, it will serve every county resident-all 58,000. This service far exceeds Charter's, or Comcast's current ability, and at a price that is less than either of the cable companies' introductory rates. It is also better than AT&T's published rates for comparable service. To sum that up: you get a lot more with MUS than with any of their competitors, and at a smaller price.<BR/><BR/>Now. tnreader, this is a post about AT&T's attempts to circumvent the current system for cable franchising. If they are successful, you can bet that your property taxes will increase, and by more than whatever savings competition brings. Local governments will have to make up for the franchise fees they will lose.sniktahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07806135513512798914noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-74270741962186091812007-12-13T09:36:00.000-05:002007-12-13T09:36:00.000-05:00classic Morristown Hate from Anonymous, Joe. They ...classic Morristown Hate from Anonymous, Joe. They mislead and they insult, lacking any factual information. And of course, all done "anonymously".<BR/><BR/>Your links/articles had nothing to do with Morristown government's decision to back a $20 million-plus taxpayer backed bond to build an internet/cable system to serve a few thousand people. Anonymous is probably a city employee or contracted government worker who sees tax dollars as a personal piggy bank.<BR/><BR/>Shameful tactics.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-67928028105376292372007-12-13T00:53:00.000-05:002007-12-13T00:53:00.000-05:00ah, the irony of some anonymous careless reader to...ah, the irony of some anonymous careless reader to chide me on the (in their words) "fashion" of disclosure ...<BR/><BR/>from an October 6, 2005 post I made it rather clear:<BR/>"And before anyone tells you different, let me state it plainly - I do promotional work for Charter Commnunications, hosting a question and answer program with Charter executives about local issues and general questions about their operations. I am not a paid employee."<BR/><BR/>That's a point I've made more than once, careless reader. Bully for you for being an MUS customer. This issue goes far beyond your satisfaction with them.Joe Powellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04326800254526438870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-61021100210554218822007-12-12T22:36:00.000-05:002007-12-12T22:36:00.000-05:00What AT&T needs to do is start petitioning that th...What AT&T needs to do is start petitioning that the cable companies that offer phone service get regulated <B>as a phone company</B>. Any cable co that offers voip needs to pay the same tariffs, connection and termination charges as the telcos, then competition would be a little more equal. Why should AT&T pay cable franchise fees, they aren't a cable company. Is iptv that different than voip? If cable paid the same rates as phone companies then voip phone calls would cost as much and traditional phones and prices would go down for all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15078815.post-87973938397950025972007-12-12T18:54:00.000-05:002007-12-12T18:54:00.000-05:00Dang Joe,In the spirit of disclosure that's become...Dang Joe,<BR/><BR/>In the spirit of disclosure that's become the fashion in state politics, I'd have thought that you might have wanted to disclose that you executed an infomercial on behalf of Charter Communications.<BR/><BR/>Two points are key here. <BR/><BR/>In that infomercial, which ran incessantly on the Charter channel, you lobbed softball questions to Charter officials on why MUS could not succeed as an ongoing operation and why Charter is better. <BR/><BR/>The evolving reality is that MUS is ahead of market share projections. They've done this by offering the same or better product at a better price.<BR/><BR/>The second point is that the state senator who sponsored the original legislation withdrew when faced with heat. <BR/><BR/>The bottom line is that AT&T almost certainly will never get majority support to circumvent existing franchise legislation.<BR/><BR/>Even if they did, they would not arrive in Morristown to challenge MUS any time soon. <BR/><BR/>This blog entry is a transparent attempt to defend Charter. <BR/><BR/>really, dudeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com