Baller Bits

I get a daily email from Jim Baller of the Baller-Herbst Law Group. He is an advocate for municipal broadband (fast internet access put in by small towns - usually where the big guys don't typically provide much competition). It's always an interesting read, and I highly recommend signing up for it if you're in the business. Here are some tidbits from today's missive - with editorial additions by yours truly.

• Texas passes a low limiting municipal broadband deployments, and Muniwireless has a calm, reasoned response. Example:
  

  This bill does nothing except protect the stranglehold that large incumbent telcos have on the market for broadband services. Texas will join the laggards and if the state wants to attract and retain tech companies, it will find a cold shoulder. Guess where those people will go? To states and countries that encourage competition in broadband services, where telecommunications costs are lower and broadband is fast and ubiquitous.

• The Orlando Sentinel reports on battles in the Florida Legistature between cities and the large incumbents. A pretty reasoned and balanced report showing both sides of the issue - the correct one and the incorrect one.
• Meanwhile, West Virginia passes a law that explicitly allows municipal broadband. It's a beautiful state, and now it's going to be one of the more technologically advanced as well.
• Using lamposts to provide wireless access in the UK. Plus, they'll provide location services in case of emergency. I'm imagining the antique lamposts from "Mary Poppins" with tiny antennae, but it's probably less pictuesque.
  
• Alabama woman sues Charter Cable because she tripped over a cable while walking through her neighbor's yard in the dark. Here come the "unspecified soft tissue damage" claims. How far has our society fallen when tripping in the yard can result in a lawsuit? My prediction is the net result will be higher cable bills for 99.999% of Charter customers and one hefty payout for the rest.
  

Filed in: telecommunications distractions