[cia-drugs] BellSouth Withdrew Donation becuase of Homeland Security

[brad]

    Angry BellSouth Withdrew Donation, New Orleans Says   By Jonathan KrimWashington Post Staff WriterSaturday, December 3, 2005; Page D01  Washington Post Staff WriterSaturday, December 3, 2005; Page D01   Hours  after New Orleans officials announced Tuesday that they would deploy a  city-owned, wireless Internet network in the wake of Hurricane Katrina,  regional phone giant BellSouth Corp. withdrew an offer to donate one of  its damaged buildings that would have housed new police headquarters,  city officials said yesterday.According  to the officials, the head of BellSouth's Louisiana operations, Bill  Oliver, angrily rescinded the offer of the building in a
 conversation  with New Orleans homeland security director Terry Ebbert, who oversees  the roughly 1,650-member police force.  City  officials said BellSouth was upset about the plan to bring high-speed  Internet access for free to homes and businesses to help stimulate  resettlement and relocation to the devastated city. Around the country,  large telephone companies have aggressively lobbied against localities  launching their own Internet networks, arguing that they amount to  taxpayer-funded competition. Some states have laws prohibiting them.   BellSouth spokesman Jeff Battcher disputed the city's version of events.    "Our  willingness to work with the mayor and the city is still on the table,"  Battcher said. "We've been working for over two months on
 this building  . . . we are a little surprised by these comments."    Battcher  said Oliver spoke directly with the mayor on Tuesday after the WiFi  announcement and told him they needed to continue to work through  issues regarding the building. He said BellSouth is awaiting the  mayor's response.    The  police have been scattered in hotels, precinct stations and other  makeshift locations since the headquarters was ruined in the hurricane  and had been preparing to move to the building after months of  discussions with the phone company, city officials said.    The building suffered basement flooding and needs some repairs but has 250,000 usable square feet of space.    Greg  Meffert, the city's chief technology officer and a deputy mayor, said  he is saddened that BellSouth finds the city's network so objectionable.    "It's  a once-in-a-century opportunity to truly show the entire world what can  be, instead of just what is, and help write future history in the  process," Meffert said. "It's a damn shame they don't see that."    The  wireless network covers the central business district and the French  Quarter, and the city plans to expand it as the people return.    The  network also is used by law enforcement and other city agencies to help  speed recovery. Eventually, the city intends to outsource operation of  the
 network's business and consumer services to a private firm,  officials said.    http://onehop.com/news/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=260    Brad  http://911review.org    
	
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