House Republicans propose nationwide ban on municipal broadband networks

[DBoon]

House Republicans have unveiled their plan for "boosting" broadband connectivity and competition, and one of the key planks is prohibiting states and cities from building their own networks. The proposal to ban new public networks was included in the "Boosting Broadband Connectivity Agenda" announced Tuesday by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Bob Latta (R-Ohio), the top Republicans on the House Commerce Committee and Subcommittee for Communications and Technology, respectively.

Republicans call it the CONNECT Act, for "Communities Overregulating Networks Need Economic Competition Today." The bill "would promote competition by limiting government-run broadband networks throughout the country and encouraging private investment," the Commerce Committee Republicans said in their announcement, without explaining how limiting the number of broadband networks would increase competition. Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) is the lead sponsor.

The bill itself says that "a State or political subdivision thereof may not provide or offer for sale to the public, a telecommunications provider, or to a commercial provider of broadband Internet access service, retail or wholesale broadband Internet access service."

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/02/gop-plan-for-broadband-competition-would-ban-city-run-networks-across-us/

[Atticus]

1. What could go wrong? How about "for profit" water supplies? Is that on their list? nt

[theneworiginal]

15. Has been since George Jr. was in office.

Nestle got a jump on it, tho.

[Atticus]

16. I was hoping someone would post that. Thanks. nt

[Faux pas]

2. Kickin' with disgust!

I don't see how that would be "FREEDOM!".

[muntrv]

3. They want the freedom to nickel and dime consumers.

[blaze]

4. Because that approach to utilities works so well...

[Wounded Bear]

5. Gotta fight the government and allow private corporate monopolies to flourish...

We need a nationwide broadband and wifi push similar to the rural electrification of the 1930's. The pandemic has exposed how the private sector has ignored the needs of people in rural areas for decades because it's not profitable enough. Basically, the US is trailing the rest of developed nations in this by years, if not decades. Small schools in rural areas can't do remote schooling like rich, suburban (and yes, largely white) neighborhoods can. The same could be said for large swaths of urban areas, too.

Lot of work to be done. Electronic infrastructure might be more important than paving roads and fixing bridges for our economy.

[Demsrule86]

10. We see how well that works in say Texas or Georgia which had the highest utilities I ever

experienced...it cost lest to heat my houses in Wisconsin and in Ohio.

[NewDayOranges]

6. So, this bill sounds like it would encourage

The privatization of a proposed locally taxpayer-funded service by prohibiting local government from establishing broad band.

Internet access and wifi is a taxpayer-provided utility in many countries in Europe, I think...

[gibraltar72]

7. Remember when we were told our cost for watching television would go down

if one or two companies could consolidate??

[hunter]

8. They should call it the "Comcast sent me a hooker and a suitcase full of cash Act."

[Demsrule86]

9. Better be DOA...Tennessee is running internet over electric lines...any municipality can do this...

the private companies fought all the way to SCOTUS and lost...hence this bill. Fuck no Republicans.

[TheBlackAdder]

11. What douchebag thought of that acronym? Was there a contest where winner got a $10 Chick-Fil-A card?

[OAITW r.2.0]

12. The internet backbone ought to be regulated as a utility.

Cost to connect should be essentially nothing. How you use it can and should be the domain of the consumer/ISP/content providers.

[Eugene]

13. Because this policy has worked so well at state level?

Billy Long just has to keep those AT&T contributions flowing, even though the bill is unlikely to pass.

20+ years of broadband haves and have-nots are the American Way. Right?

[Maven]

14. LOL. So they want to take low (or no) cost providers out of the equation to *increase* competition?

They are so transparent, it's galling.