Quote:
Originally Posted by sterlingice
Apparently the list of states with restrictions is 20 states and growing, as of early 2014. Not all of those are outright bans but they have a complete list and explain that almost every state that doesn't ban it outright but has unrealistic hurdles for naming somewhere as unserved or for much too accelerated profitability requirements. Unsurprisingly, most of these bills were done by ALEC.
ISP lobby has already won limits on public broadband in 20 states | Ars Technica
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Obviously it would take some time to research each of those states with some level of restriction, but I'd ask the question then....why aren't the other 30-ish doing a lot more buildouts then?
But many of those restrictions are around the way the municipality is allowed to offer the service (where service can be telecom, broadband or video), and the ability to go into debt for it and how they can package or bundle it. I would be curious when most of those restrictions came into play as a lot of municipalities had tried to do it in the late 90s & early 00s, and failed quite miserably at it. My gut tells me some of those restrictions (especially how they are worded) is around the idea that the states don't want to "bailout" those crazy municipalities that get in over their heads. No evidence for that, as I said you'd have to investigate each one and their approx legislative dates, but I'd bet money that is the motivation for some of those states' restrictions.