So Louisville has pole gate. Go figure.

 

Why does this sound familiar?

Well AT&T is a repulsive behemoth running a service only slightly better than the terrible cable company. I'm prepared to do anything to ram Google Fiber down their useless throats and force them into real competition.

 

Like I said.... Everyone's a little excited about Google Fiber and the city tried to pull a move. It is what it is.

 

Like I said.... Everyone's a little excited about Google Fiber and the city tried to pull a move. It is what it is.

 

Frankly the anticompetitive practices of the telecommunications industry are to blame for this sort of thing. It is a bloody oligarchy with TWC and AT&T among others muscling everyone else out of the market. It is a borderline protection racket, and as soon as a network like Google Fiber starts coming to town they realize they can't get by with shoddy service, crappy customer support, and practices that would make a Vanderbilt or Morgan go "Wow, that's harsh."

 

This is a situation of metro government trying to stimulate competition in the face of those who are actively trying to stifle it.

 

As a country our internet connectivity lags behind the rest of the world due to the lack of competition and collusive business practices of these telecom giants. We are 14th in the world in Internet speeds, 14th! We invented the bloody thing and we are 14th!

 

This may smack of government overreach and the libertarian in me may not like that, but when small groups actively try to stymie innovation and competition to preserve their little fiefdoms then I will stand behind the government stepping in to an extent.

You can't just stick a new pole anywhere you want. Utility poles typically run along the roadways, in the right of way which is owned by whoever owns and maintains the road. Most utility poles are owned by the power companies, but some are owned by the phone company. AT&T has a legit case if they own the poles that the city granted access to, as long as they didn't turn over the rights to the poles to the city previously.

I will agree with other posters that AT&T and TWC both are horrible and overpriced

Love it. After it gets sorted out you'll see AT&T try and lower their prices and offer better internet speeds. This has happened all over the country. Once Google Fiber hits a town, other competitors lose their minds. Some of you will be so lucky to live in a town that it.

I see all this hate for AT&T and I'm confused Uverse is the best package in the country for TV and internet.

There's always more to things. Were they granted an easement to install the poles? What was the city's role in their initial installation of infrastructure?

 

We'll find out soon enough.

The vast majority of utility poles are located within city right-of-way, which is where I presume the City feels it has the right to regulate the poles. It behooves any community to have equipment co-located on poles. Unless it is a competing interest, as it is in this situation, the utility companies generally are good with equipment being attached to their poles.

I see all this hate for AT&T and I'm confused Uverse is the best package in the country for TV and internet.

 

The problem is that when you have only 2 options the opportunity for collusion is strong. Not just that, but you are saying TV and Internet. Many people of the younger generation don't care about TV packages anymore especially when you have mediocre speed for internet and a data cap.

The vast majority of utility poles are located within city right-of-way, which is where I presume the City feels it has the right to regulate the poles. It behooves any community to have equipment co-located on poles. Unless it is a competing interest, as it is in this situation, the utility companies generally are good with equipment being attached to their poles.

They are good with it if you pay them.

 

If what Google is offering is so great, let them invest in installing all new poles and acquiring the right of way.

They are good with it if you pay them.

 

If what Google is offering is so great, let them invest in installing all new poles and acquiring the right of way.

You are misconstruing terminology in what a utility would acquire. A city may purchase ROW space, but a utility in this instance would not. Just as AT&T probably doesn't have anything designating land to them.

 

I am not sure what it takes to install this type of fiber, but cities (rightfully) are getting away from more poles, nor would they encourage private utilities to add any more clutter. Co-location is the way to go if agreed. I am not fully sure what rights those have when installing their own equipment in an area not owned by themselves. I am also not sure what rights cities have to it either.

You are misconstruing terminology in what a utility would acquire. A city may purchase ROW space, but a utility in this instance would not. Just as AT&T probably doesn't have anything designating land to them.

 

I am not sure what it takes to install this type of fiber, but cities (rightfully) are getting away from more poles, nor would they encourage private utilities to add any more clutter. Co-location is the way to go if agreed. I am not fully sure what rights those have when installing their own equipment in an area not owned by themselves. I am also not sure what rights cities have to it either.

Maybe I have the terminology wrong but utilities do pay property owners in some instances to put poles and anchors on their property.

They are good with it if you pay them.

 

If what Google is offering is so great, let them invest in installing all new poles and acquiring the right of way.

 

Couple things. What google is offering is the best internet/cable package in America. Funny thing about Google Fiber that they have said multiple times it that one their main reasoning for all of this competition and having more options for people. Second point about google investing and installing their own polls. Do you have any idea what it would be like if every provider put up their own telecom polls? This happened back in the day with power companies putting up their literally 1000's of cables. Below is what that used to look like. Could you imagine how the cities would look with polls for phone carriers, internet providers, and tv providers?

 

Couple things. What google is offering is the best internet/cable package in America. Funny thing about Google Fiber that they have said multiple times it that one their main reasoning for all of this competition and having more options for people. Second point about google investing and installing their own polls. Do you have any idea what it would be like if every provider put up their own telecom polls? This happened back in the day with power companies putting up their literally 1000's of cables. Below is what that used to look like. Could you imagine how the cities would look with polls for phone carriers, internet providers, and tv providers?

 

If they want competition tell them to install their own infrastructure.

 

So you want the US to revert back to the days that you saw in that picture?

AT&T is phasing out Uverse, just google AT&T Uverse and hit the news tab.

Since they aquired Direct TV they are now pushing it as their tv option.

As GrizzlyAdams is saying, just do a little research into Google fiber and you will see how it forcing competitors to raise internet speeds while also lowering their costs. All of that is good for consumers. Basically this court ruling would allow Google to get it's product introduced faster to the area without being delayed by AT&T and TWC dragging their feet to slow them down.

And the fast speeds have more benefits, tech businesses love google cities for the cheaper high speed access, could create more jobs etc