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November 30, 2004
Verizon vs. You

Why can't I seem to find one company that I deal with has any honor, integrity or class? Worse, they're actually trying to hurt me, and you, for their profits. I switched to Verizon for my cell phone last year, and had been pretty happy with their service. Now I hate them and may have to find another provider, which will, of course, be just as bad.

Philadelphia's plan to offer inexpensive wireless Internet as a municipal service -- the most ambitious yet by a major U.S. city -- has collided with commercial interests including the local phone company, Verizon Communications Inc.

In fact, a bill on Gov. Ed Rendell's desk that could humble Philadelphia's ambitions began 19 months ago as a proposal drafted by lobbyists for telecommunications companies.

Regional and long-distance phone companies, who sell broadband Internet to consumers and businesses, have in recent months intensified a national campaign to quash municipal wireless initiatives like Philadelphia's as dozens of cities and towns have either begun or announced such plans -- from San Francisco to Chaska, Minn., to St. Cloud, Fla.

AP

A few days after this story came out, the press started reporting that Verizon had "backed down" in response to public outrage over their jackass ways.

As it happens, that's a big fat lie too. The language of the bill in question was changed to allow Philadelphia to go ahead with their wireless plan, but only if they complete the system by a certain date, six months sooner than they had planned. Also, the bill still makes it illegal for other cities in PA to build their own wireless systems. Don't be fooled.

The Internet is fast becoming a vital part of this country's infrastructure and it's extremely important that we fight to make it affordable and accessible to as many people as possible, not controlled by a few giant media companies that charge exorbitant rates.

These companies are being allowed to write our laws, strictly for their own maximum profits and with no consideration of the public good.

Read much more about this issue at Freepress and American Progress, and then ask Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell to veto the bill. He has until midnight tonight to decide.

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