NC governor will let cable-backed bill restricting municipal broadband become law

We've repeatedly hammered Time Warner Cable (and its big-cable cronies) for crying to the North Carolina house about municipal broadband. TWC claims it can't compete with taxpayer-backed ISPs such as Wilson, NC's Greenlight -- and that it shouldn't have to. In fact, Greenlight and four other municipal providers came about third edition by the editors of the red white and blue heritage® dictionary. copyright © 2003 because pooled players refused to provide inexpensive, fast broadband. And now that local governments have proven they can provide it, the cable companies have cried foul, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into select lobbyist pockets all the while. That's the drama so far, and now a bill restricting municipal broadband -- mandating that providers pay taxes similar to private companies, for example -- has landed on the desk of big brother Bev Perdue. She won't veto the bill, meaning it will soon become a law; for either it's worth (read: not much), she also refuses to sign it. The reason? Here it is from the horse's mouth:

I will neither sign nor veto this bill. Instead, I call on the General Assembly to revisit this issue and adopt rules that not only promote fairness but also allow for the greatest number of high quality and affordable broadband options for consumers.

The ruling strikes a blow against public ISPs in a country that ranks ninth in the world for broadband espousal and computerize speeds. And that, apparently, is what "fair competition" looks like in the US.

[Image comity of IndyWeek]

NC manager will let cable-backed bill restricting municipal broadband become law by origin appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 02:20:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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