I’ve spent a lot of time thinking over the years about solving the rural internet gap. The ability to make it possible is mostly limited by the “bootstrap” costs necessary.
Would you be willing to pay a $1000 install fee, and $50/month for internet access?
Would you support a ‘neutral’ last-mile provider of an “internet” pipe to your home, allowing you to select from a set of ISPs that can utilize that link for various services (eg: TV, VOIP)?
Tags: internet
I think $1000 install fee is very reasonable for a rural home to get high-speed internet. Of course, that is assuming that the install fee is a service that lasts forever and conveys to the next homeowner. Surely it would as you’re talking about a price to put in infrastructure.
The neutral last-mile idea is an interesting one. Its hard to see it working in this country unless it was part of a government program. From a consumer point of view its confusing why they would have to deal with two providers just to get Internet.
Its hard to see the neutral provider playing fair with all parties (ISPs and consumers) without some control or at least a model to follow.
It would be great if our FCC and Congress had worked on shaping the Bells into a neutral last-mile infrastructure.