Just a small example of when the Free Market needs a Public Option.. :)

[Morel42]

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/n...t-your-own.ars

Sure it's not remotely as complicated as Health care, but I just wanted to provide an example of when competition with other companies stagnates the market without an outside force.

It also gives an example of how the total free market is rigged, one company will file lawsuit after lawsuit to keep others from providing a better service..

Just wanted to hear some thoughts on this from some of the total free market believers out there.

[YBNORMAL]

Comparing this to the health care debate is not really apples to apples.

health care:

Competition between companies vs public federal gov run option

Your link:

Competition between companies (or lack therof) vs local government.


The premise still stands, (and is the basis for the uproar IMO) is that the Federal government has no business in healthcare, nor have they shown that they could handle it well if they did.

[whoshisface]

Tort reform, situation solved, you're welcome

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/n...t-your-own.ars

Sure it's not remotely as complicated as Health care, but I just wanted to provide an example of when competition with other companies stagnates the market without an outside force.

It also gives an example of how the total free market is rigged, one company will file lawsuit after lawsuit to keep others from providing a better service..

Just wanted to hear some thoughts on this from some of the total free market believers out there.

[5711-Marine]

It is precisely the government video franchise agreements which violate the free market in the first place and created a monopoly for TDS. So while spending tax dollars on fiber infrastructure appears to have fostered competition it is artificial.

I am sickened by the comments on the article, so many people in this country don't care what the government does as long as they benefit from it.

In my township the video franchise agreement ended several years ago. Verizon immediately entered the local market to compete with Comcast. Verizon had a 5 year plan to roll out FiOS to the entire township. Comcast also had a plan to upgrade their network once there was competition. The consumer adoption rates of FiOS were so great that Verizon completed the roll out in 18 months.

That is the free market in action.

[FNG19]

Sure it's not remotely as complicated as Health care, but I just wanted to provide an example of when competition with other companies stagnates the market without an outside force.

Bogus example, because there weren't any other companies in the marketplace. TDS, for all intents and purposes, had a monopoly in that market. They didn't need to innovate to remain viable, but as soon as someone came along to threaten their fiefdom, they started innovating to eliminate the competitive threat. Had there been another worthy competitor to TDS in that area, FIOS would've been rolled out much sooner.

If anything, your example is a good illustration of how the market fails in absence of competition. Vibrant, functioning markets result in competition based on price, service, availability, and/or features.

Apples to apples, please.

[Jorg Schlagzeuger]

I am sickened by the comments on the article, so many people in this country don't care what the government does as long as they benefit from it.

I hear you, and I agree, but this goes way beyond the current US population. Sadly, it's human nature, and history is riddled with such behavior.

[PocketProtector]

If ya wanna compare Hellthscare to something, compare it to the IRS. That's the kind of control this horseshit gives to the government over the subjects. It actually gives the IRS far more reaching power than it already has. It's not remotely about health care.

[Dredly]

I don't understand that you are getting at...

There isn't an ounce of free market in this article anywhere...

this is an example of gov't forcing the hand of a private company and (honestly) delivering something that is not economically feasiable. 49.99 a month for that speed of internet is well below market rate, deployment that fast certainly cost additional money.

Not to mention the fact that during their install they were able to walk all over private land to do whatever the hell they wanted due to gov't regulation and emmiment domain.

A true free market story would have been Company A and Company B both realizing they needed to step up their game and working their asses off to make it happen and then competiting for customers with good service and price.

[velkly]

I don't understand that you are getting at...

There isn't an ounce of free market in this article anywhere...

this is an example of gov't forcing the hand of a private company and (honestly) delivering something that is not economically feasiable. 49.99 a month for that speed of internet is well below market rate, deployment that fast certainly cost additional money.

Not to mention the fact that during their install they were able to walk all over private land to do whatever the hell they wanted due to gov't regulation and emmiment domain.

A true free market story would have been Company A and Company B both realizing they needed to step up their game and working their asses off to make it happen and then competiting for customers with good service and price.

You sir, have it right. Although, I believe the pricing is sustainable contrary to corporate outcry.

I wanted to rep you, but must spread the love first.

[Dredly]

You sir, have it right. Although, I believe the pricing is sustainable contrary to corporate outcry.

I wanted to rep you, but must spread the love first.

It may be, I'm not sure how big the company is or how much overhead they need to clear but 49.99 a month isn't going to leave much room for profit. If all they have is that region they are going to run short on funds when it comes time to upgrade again...

either way I'm waiting for them to show up at my door... we have a wonderful monopoly called "PennCor" in Saylorsburg... you have 2 choices... either DSL through Palmerton Telephone (a PennCor company) or Cable through Blue Ridge Cable (a PennCor company). The only other choice is Direct/Dish which is garbage for internet.

Why do we have this monopoly? they had LOADS of protection shit from the gov in the past and now it is to expensive for a new provider to attempt to move in on long established terrority... phone, TV, internet... all through the same supplier because there are no other choices.