[TAG] ISP email goes down in flames

[Jimmy O'Regan]

Mike Orr wrote:
> On 11/13/05, Adam Engel <bartleby.samsa at verizon.net> wrote:
> 
>> I guess my main question was whether it was possible to prevent the big
>>guys from becoming even bigger and the small, independent ISPs froam
>>disappearing altogether.
> 
> 
> Like with RIAA and MPAA, the only solution is "We don't want your
> friggin' content anyway!"  Enjoy the leisurely pace of a dialup ISP. 
> (Unfortunately the modems now cost $250 unless you want a crippled
> WinModem.)  Set up a community wireless network with your friends and
> get your parents and neighbors on it too.  Write to your city

Almost all of the wireless access in Ireland is done that way.

> councilmembers and tell them you want a municipal wireless network or
> municipal cable TV/Internet network, and write to your legislators
> telling them not to illegalize it (as they did in Pennsylvania).  Tell

That could be a problem here. About 15 years ago, in several parts of 
the country, people set up TV co-ops (so the masses could have BBC, Sky, 
etc). Around the same time, the government started selling TV 
broadcasting licences (for cable, etc.) and cracked down on these (even 
in areas that didn't have cable). This lead to a lot of people getting 
satellite TV. (That, and because there was softcore porn on one or two 
of the German channels at the weekend, and that was against the law too).

> everybody you know not to vote for legislators that support cable
> monopolies.  My father suggested, "Why not treat the wiring as a
> public utility and let each person subscribe to whatever
> Internet/cable/phone service they want?  It's gonna be the same union
> workers making repairs anyway, no matter who their employer is."

IIRC, when Eircom (formerly the Telecom Eireann, the Irish department of 
phones) was privatised, part of the conditions of privatisation was that 
the cabling, etc. remain the property of the government, so they can't 
stop anyone from starting their own phone company using their cables 
(though they can charge a fee for the upkeep of the lines).