Becca Vargo Daggett wrote:
<>
Here's what the City of Minneapolis is proposing to do: It chooses a
private company (or consortium of companies) to build a network.
and...
Alternative scenario #1: Minneapolis owns the entire network
infrastructure, fiber and wireless. If it contracts for network
management, the contracts are 3 years or so in duration, allowing to
keep quality up through competition.
The City's own services come at the cost of wholesale access to the
Internet via long-haul providers. This includes community centers,
libraries, and schools. It sells wholesale access to other public
entities and non-profits. It sells wholesale access to the network to
several competing ISPs. Revenue from the sale of wholesale access pays
off the investment in the network.
and...
Alternative scenario #2: Minneapolis owns the fiber backbone of the
network. Since fiber is depreciated over 20 years, it makes sense to
bond for it. It provides wholesale access as above.
The City chooses a private company to build and own the citywide
wireless portion of the network. It sells the WiFi company wholesale
access to its fiber and collects a percentage of revenues in exchange
for access to city assets. Or perhaps it gets free access to the
wireless network for municipal services and some public access.
The biggest difference between the first and the second two scenarios
is that in the latter, any funds directed at community access, as
opposed to simply bandwidth, would have to be a line item in the
budget. As such, it would be a target for cuts at some future date.
On the other hand, cuts beyond our control could be made in a CBA,
just as has happened when state and federal government has whittled
away at local government electric, phone, and cable agreements with
private companies.
AN:<> I believe a publicly owned Wi-Fi network would be the most
beneficial option for the citizens of Minneapolis. If the city owned
the network, costs could be kept down and there would be no monopoly of
service. The Green Party is committed to the public ownership of
utilities. In our information society, the control of Internet access
is as important as the control of telephone networks was in the
nineteenth century.
Wi-Fi is the most economical way to give high speed Internet access to
the majority of Minneapolis residents. Other cities that own their
Wi-Fi networks can deliver Internet access to their citizens for lower
costs than cable and telephone networks. (please visit
http://www.chaska.net - Alternative scenario #1, I believe). The Chaska
model, in my opinion, is the wisest option for all citizens of
Minneapolis. We must be not allow an "outsourcing" of network
development and service, particularly given the security implications
surrounding our EMT responders. Please ask our current Council members
how the outsourcing went of their current computer infrastructure. <>
If Minneapolis owns the infrastructure, it could have multiple providers
using the network, fostering competition, lowering costs and improving
quality. Park and library buildings could be free Wi-Fi zones for
anyone to use. We are still committed to providing more computers in
libraries for people who do not have the means to own home computers.
Publicly owned Wi-Fi maximizes access and allows Minneapolis to
affordable provide an essential service of the 21st century.
Aaron Neumann (Sheridan)
Candidate for City Council Ward 3 (Green Party)
Northside * Northeast * Southeast
612.788.1284
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.VoteNeumann.org
"Bridging our Diverse Communities with Social, Economic, and
Environmental Justice * Common Sense Vision for the 21st Century"
"Politics isn't about big money or power games; it's about the
improvement of people's lives." - Paul Wellstone
<>
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