Lessons from Toledo Wireless Debacle
By Marc Kilmer, posted July 24, 2007
There is an oft-repeated saying that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Unfortunately, it seems that when it comes to technology projects, many city officials are determined to continue repeating the mistakes of the past. The recent fiasco in Toledo regarding a “free” wireless...
Caution Warranted on Toledo Wi-Fi
By Marc Kilmer, posted June 19, 2007
The residents of Toledo are being told by their elected officials that they will soon have a wireless Internet system, available to all city residents, and it will not cost them a thing. It sounds too good to be true, and it probably is. The plan's details sketchy, but the history of other...
Wasting Money on Municipal Wireless
By Marc Kilmer, posted April 24, 2007
Municipal wireless services have caused many problems across the country including government censorship, cost overruns and customer dissatisfaction, slow service speeds, and bureaucratic delay. Instead of focusing on supplying internet service themselves, governments should focus on providing a regulatory climate that encourages private sector investment in wireless service.
Taxpayers Take Another Hit in Lebanon
By Marc Kilmer, posted February 28, 2007
The city of Lebanon recently lost a civil court case and is now liable for paying back taxes it had improperly collected to finance its city-run telecommunications system. This episode is another reason why local governments should leave high tech services to the private sector.
What the Election Means for Telecom in Ohio
By Marc Kilmer, posted November 21, 2006
Though there are positive aspects of Governor-elect Ted Strickland’s plans for Ohio’s technology sector, he should reconsider those policies that call for increased government involvement in the economy. Such policies will stifle private investment. Instead, he should focus on reducing the regulatory and tax burden on telecommunications companies operating in Ohio.
Hollywood Wrong on Media Consolidation
By Marc Kilmer, posted October 12, 2006
The FCC is considering new media ownership rules. At a recent hearing, members of the Hollywood artistic community failed to understand how new technology makes rules restricting ownership outdated.
Gahanna Broadband Project is a Waste of Taxpayers’ Money
By Marc Kilmer, posted September 29, 2006
The Columbus suburb of Gahanna is considering using taxpayer money to invest in a project to expand broadband access in the city. History has shown that these projects are wastes of taxpayer money that do not deliver on consultants’ promises.
Sale of City Telecom System Cause for Relief, Not Celebration
By Marc Kilmer, posted September 22, 2006
Taxpayers in Lebanon, Ohio, should not be fooled by city officials’ claims that the city-run telecommunications system is a success. It has been a costly failure from the start.
Viewpoint: History Not on Medina Officials’ Side
By Marc Kilmer, posted August 10, 2006
While officials in Medina contend that taxpayers will not pay for the proposed fiber optic ring, the history of other government-backed technology ventures indicates otherwise. These projects usually fail to live up to officials’ expectations and cost local taxpayers millions.
Lebanon Telecom Sale Will Help Consumers and Taxpayers
By Marc Kilmer, posted July 27, 2006
Cincinnati Bell is considering buying the city-run telecommunications system in Lebanon, Ohio. This sale would be a welcome end to the government-run system, which has been a burden on both taxpayers and consumers.
Viewpoint: Medina Should Be Wary of Municipal Broadband
By Marc Kilmer, posted June 27, 2006
Medina is looking into building a municipal broadband system in order to spur economic development. Experience in Ohio and other states, however, shows these municipal ventures only end up wasting taxpayer money.
Viewpoint: When Government Competes with Private Enterprise, You Pay
By Marc Kilmer, posted April 17, 2006
The city of Lebanon, Ohio, enacted an ordinance forcing all new construction to hook up to the city-run telecom-munications firm. It then used these fees from that to subsidize its business operations. Even though this was found to be unconstitutional, this incident illustrates that when governments compete with businesses, they will use their coercive power to try and gain a competitive edge at the expense of the consumer.
Viewpoint: Ohio Consumers' Counsel Wants to Put Consumers on Hold
By Marc Kilmer, posted January 25, 2006
The Ohio Consumers' Council is trying to thwart efforts to create competitive pricing for local telephone services. In their attempts to "protect" consumers, the OCC is in reality advocating a policy that will keep consumers stuck in a world of uncreative, uncompetitive local telephone service.
Viewpoint: Government-Funded Market Cornering
By , posted September 27, 2005
Cleveland City Council members are spending $200,000 in public funds on an internet project with Intel. The city’s attempt to play venture capitalist with taxpayer dollars is unlikely to pay off.
Viewpoint: The Promise of Public Wi-Fi Networks Includes Liability Headaches
By Kent Lassman, posted September 16, 2005
Municipal wi-fi networks are the latest craze for public officials looking to appear tech-savvy. But city leaders diving in without fully exploring the legal ramifications may find themselves in hot water.
Telecom reform progress at long last
The Legislature recently passed legislation that begins the process of transitioning the PUCO's role from an outdated model of "monopoly czar" to that of overseeing competitive forces already at work. As a result, the agency will be able to more effectively deliver positive results for consumers and the economy as a whole.
It is never a good sign when politicians claim that they have found a cheaper and better way to do something than the private sector. The end result usually involves a large amount of taxpayer dollars being spent, and yet another monument to the failures of central planning. So, when word of a...
Mergers aren't a threat to the nation's telecom service
Recent news headlines underscore the radical changes taking place in telecommunications. SBC is acquiring AT&T, Verizon is merging with MCI, and Sprint and Nextel are combining. While some fear that such consolidation spells trouble for consumers, the likely result will be...
Regulators must keep pace with change
The pace of technological change is moving so fast that it can be a daunting task to keep up with. Just think for a moment about how e-mail, instant messaging, and cell phones have impacted the way we communicate with one another in just a matter of a few years: - ...
The End of Telephone Competition as We Know It
The impossible has happened. Rivals Sage Telecom and SBC recently negotiated a seven-year pact whereby SBC will lease wholesale access to its network at a set price. And they did this without the government telling them they had to-it was a voluntary, mutually advantageous act.
Ohio Policymakers Can Pursue Telecommunications Reform
The basic premise behind Governor Taft's $1.6 billion Third Frontier is to attract and reward those companies that are on the cutting edge. The hope is that this will build a strong job base for Ohioans while at the same time bringing the state's economy into the future through technological...
Infrastructure Socialism in Telecom
Competition is as American as apple pie. Everyday, companies battle to capture the attention and dollars of consumers. This process often gets muddled, however, when government regulation intrudes. Such is the case with telecommunications. Right now, a battle is...
High Tech Computer Occupations in Ohio, 2001
By Robert Premus, Ph.D., posted January 13, 2004
High Tech & Regional Growth Studies have documented a positive link between high technology activities and regional economic growth. These studies also point out the need for a knowledge infrastructure such as an ample supply of computer specialists, engineers and scientists to support high...
Breaking Up (the Bells) is Hard to Do
By Adam Thierer, posted October 1, 2001
What Neil Sedaka crooned about in the 1960s is just as true today; breaking up is hard to do. Especially when we’re talking about breaking up America’s massive and incredibly complex telecommunications system. Yet that is exactly what some policy makers at both the federal and state level are now...
