Apr
14
Paul Allen embraces iProvo and I don’t
Filed Under Business Ideas, Resources, Principles, etc., Freedom, Government, Politics, etc., Technology
Paul Allen is championing iProvo and sites an article by Lawrence Lessig, but I have some questions about it.
Good article Lawrence, but I’m wondering if iProvo really increases the competition.
If the community is not purchasing the broadband at the price it is, how does the government expect the demand to appear at an even higher price (albeit faster Internet speeds) when many in the community are surviving with their dial up?
I see the argument for it if we consider Internet a public good like roads, but I’m more concerned that Provo expects to finance this service through paying customers. They haven’t snagged me and I’m a “high speed user.” My Vonage, Comcast combination (about $68 per month) blows their least expensive plan out of the water ($89) since I have no interest in cable television. I realize that the iProvo Internet is faster and better, but for at home use, Comcast works great and I don’t care about the extra speed when it costs me another $20 per month. iProvo IS NOT COMPETITION FOR MY NEEDS. Won’t others feel like me about this? From what I understand, iProvo needs 30 percent of the entire city using their service to pay for it. With the current usage in the city, I’m just concerned I’ll be paying the bill for iProvo even if I don’t ever decide to use it.
So, my final question is, why is it a good thing for the local government to push iProvo when the private sector hasn’t demanded it?
I’d like a few reasons other than it’s super-fast and other tech talk. Is it really going to boost the amount of tech business in Provo and raise more money in taxes to pay for it? Historical examples? I’m uninformed and still open on this topic. I’m just not yet convinced iProvo is the best thing for Provo.
But, then again, it doesn’t really matter, the decision is made. I might as well just look for other ways I can use it even if it won’t have my home Internet use. Maybe it will be cheaper to set up a data center in Provo?