Do
you know people (friends, neighbors, students, the elderly) or
businesses that cannot get internet?
Or those whose access is so slow
and so expensive that in makes them furious? I do.
95 Tennessee counties are like that!
While the rest of the developed world has access to High-speed internet and Broadband, the bulk of our entire nation does not!. And, unfortunately neither does Tennessee.
IN
FACT, There are only seven (7) communities* in all of Tennessee that
have taken charge of their own destinies to install High-speed
Internet and Broadband – and all of them have prospered as a
result.
Why
is that? Why them
and not us?
The
remaining cities within the 95 Tennessee counties are prevented from
doing the same thing by
STATE law, not
federal. As a
result, rural communities are at a serious disadvantage when it comes
to a) attracting new business to the area, b)providing internet
access to students in their homes, c) having the benefit of
connectivity in individual homes.
"You
have communities that can provide broadband to their neighbors, but
state law doesn't allow it," she said. "If you want
Tennessee to be a global player, you want everybody to have access."
Debra
Socia Executive Director, Next Century Cities *
In
THREE MONTHS (3), we can change all that. A bill going through the
legislature in Nashville in January will permit all local electric
utilities to build and operate their own fiber optic systems to
deliver High-speed internet and Broadband to their customers – and
beyond.
Here's
how it works currently. The seven communities' electric utilities
installed their fiber optic systems to serve their customers. They
were allowed to serve only
their existing customers in what they call their footprint.
Each one of those Fiber Optic
installations can serve hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses
and the only thing preventing them is a law in Nashville – a law
that needs changing.
Morristown,
for example, can only serve the few thousand utility customers. It
cannot ever serve the homes and businesses
in its own county! Morristown's
system could serve all of Hamblen County, Jefferson County, Grainger
County and Cocke County and
still
have room for more. The benefit to all those counties is that they
don't have to spend millions of dollars to build their own systems.
All each county has to do is invest to install fiber-optic cable
throughout the community and connect! Then they can buy the services
directly at
wholesale.
Here's
what the initial investment meant to Morristown's residents.
Residents got high higher speeds from their internet for way less
money per month than retail carriers like Charter and AT&T. Businesses got the kind of speed to make them
competitive anywhere in the world, and
the
capacity to grow even more. The city added hundred of new jobs
in the area, employing people from adjacent counties as well.
Morristown's schools are hooked up to the fastest Fiber-optic system
in East Tennessee.
Bringing High-speed Internet to
the adjacent communities makes a level playing field when it comes to
attracting new businesses. And, that helps the entire region.
The THREAT to all this!
When
the bill to permit all the state's electric utilities to expand their
footprint, to
offer their services to the surrounding counties is introduced it will go up against two
other competing bills,
one that is written by AT&T and the other by Charter. Both are
seeking to maintain the status quo, to keep everything in Tennessee
as it is.
That means no service to areas
that don't have it. Students will still go to school, where they have
internet, then go either to the local library, McDonald's or other fast food establishments for
internet access. If they go to the library, they have to stand in
line for computer time and be limited to thirty minutes at a time
when things are busy.
That means businesses will be
stuck with systems that continue to make them less competitive or, in
some cases, not competitive at all. Some small business owners will have
to go to the library or McDonald's to check their emails for orders,
then return to their shops to fill them. They can't connect with
their FED-X or UPS to schedule deliveries from their stores, so they
have to drive to where there is wi-fi.
In
a phrase, with the systems that rural community has, the only winners
are:
- the current internet suppliers who have no competition. They can provide lousy services at outrageous prices and get away with it.
- The competitors our local businesses have to contend with every day
THE FIX:
All of us in our communities can
fix this by
- going in groups to County Commission meetings to demand they put pressure on our reps in Nashville
- Writing, e-mailing, and calling our local Senators and Representatives to reinforce the reality that we voted them in to represent our interests, and we can vote them out.
- Going to town hall meetings when the legislators pop into town as a group (there's power in numbers) to let them know who we are, what we want and that we're watching.
- Meeting neighbors to spread the word and build a movement in which as many people as possible commit to do what's outlined in the first three bullet points above.
There are two issues here. One
of them is sovereignty, the right for us to control our own
destinies. Local is where the law has its effects, so local is where
the decisions should be made. Tell Nashville to get out of the way
and let our counties join the real world.
The other is public versus private. Private enterprise has had decades to do what we are asking. They didn't. It's not who they are or what they do. It's the dog and the scorpion (see below). The internet is no longer a nicety. It is a necessity, a vital part of all our lives. It is for all intents and purposes a public utility. And, it should be treated as such.
The other is public versus private. Private enterprise has had decades to do what we are asking. They didn't. It's not who they are or what they do. It's the dog and the scorpion (see below). The internet is no longer a nicety. It is a necessity, a vital part of all our lives. It is for all intents and purposes a public utility. And, it should be treated as such.
*BRISTOL, MORRISTOWN,
CHATTANOOGA, JACKSON, CLARKSVILLE, PULASKI, AND TULLAHOMA
State legislators who are
actively promoting Fiber-optic networks for all include:
State Senators Janice Bowling
of Tullahoma (TN 16) the bill's author
State Representatives Kevin
Brooks of Cleveland Bradley County
Dan Howell of
Cleveland Bradley County
"EPB could service 1,000 people in that part of rural Bradley within 90 days," Howell said. "These are people who do not currently have anything but dial-up."*
*Source:
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/business/aroundregion/story/2015/oct/08/cleveland-lawmakers-push-law-extend-epb-bound/329321/
Think
of it as the dog (customer) and the scorpion (ISP), together on one
side of the river.
The scorpion says ever so gently to the dog, “Please, I need your help. I must cross the river. I have urgent business on the other side. But the river is
moving way too fast and I fear I can’t get across on my own. Can
you take me there on your back?”
“But you’re a scorpion. Your
venom is fatal. Why would I do that?”
“I promise I won’t sting you.
Look, I only ask for safe passage to the other side. That’s all.
Trust me.”
Safely ensconced atop the dog’s
head and just barely above the waves, the scorpion watches as the
shore comes ever closer. Within yards of landfall, his pincer
penetrates the dog's skull and, immediately, its paws cease their
strokes.
“Why did you do that?,” the dogs
asks plaintively, as his body starts to roll with the waves. “Now
we’re both going to die.”
“Yes, replies the passenger. I’m
a scorpion. It’s what I do.”
------------------------------
| Senator | R/D | District Map | Phone | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bailey, Paul | R | District 15 | sen.paul.bailey@capitol.tn.gov | (615) 741-3978 | ||
| Beavers, Mae | R | District 17 | (615) 741-2421 | |||
| Bell, Mike | R | District 9 | (615) 741-1946 | |||
| Bowling, Janice | R | District 16 | (615) 741-6694 | |||
| Briggs, Richard | R | District 7 | (615) 741-1766 | |||
| Crowe, Rusty | R | District 3 | (615) 741-2468 | |||
| Dickerson, Steven | R | District 20 | (615) 741-6679 | |||
| Gardenhire, Todd | R | District 10 | (615) 741-6682 | |||
| Green, Mark | R | District 22 | (615) 741-2374 | |||
| Gresham, Dolores | R | District 26 | (615) 741-2368 | |||
| Haile, Ferrell | R | District 18 | (615) 741-1999 | |||
| Harper, Thelma | D | District 19 | (615) 741-2453 | |||
| Harris, Lee | D | District 29 | (615) 741-1767 | |||
| Hensley, Joey | R | District 28 | (615) 741-3100 | |||
| Jackson, Ed | R | District 27 | (615) 741-1810 | |||
| Johnson, Jack | R | District 23 | (615) 741-2495 | |||
| Kelsey, Brian | R | District 31 | (615) 741-3036 | |||
| Ketron, Bill | R | District 13 | (615) 741-6853 | |||
| Kyle, Sara | D | Dist. 30 | (615) 741-4167 | |||
| Massey, Becky Duncan | R | District 6 | (615) 741-1648 | |||
| McNally, Randy | R | District 5 | (615) 741-6806 | |||
| Niceley, Frank S. | R | District 8 | sen.frank.niceley@capitol.tn.gov | (615) 741-2061 | ||
| Norris, Mark | R | District 32 | (615) 741-1967 | |||
| Overbey, Doug | R | District 2 | (615) 741-0981 | |||
| Ramsey, Lt. Gov. Ron | R | District 4 | (615) 741-4524 | |||
| Roberts, Kerry | R | District 25 | (615) 741-4499 | |||
| Southerland, Steve | R | District 1 | (615) 741-3851 | |||
| Stevens, John | R | District 24 | (615) 741-4576 | |||
| Tate, Reginald | D | District 33 | (615) 741-2509 | |||
| Tracy, Jim | R | District 14 | (615) 741-1066 | |||
| Watson, Bo | R | District 11 | (615) 741-3227 | |||
| Yager, Ken | R | District 12 | (615) 741-1449 | |||
| Yarbro, Jeff | D | District 21 | (615) 741-3291 |
| Representative | R/D | District Map | Phone | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akbari, Raumesh | D | District 91 | (615) 741-3830 | |||||
| Alexander, David | R | District 39 | (615) 741-8695 | |||||
| Armstrong, Joe E. | D | District 15 | (615) 741-0768 | |||||
| Beck, Bill | D | District 51 | (615) 741-3229 | |||||
| Brooks, Harry | R | District 19 | (615) 741-6879 | |||||
| Brooks, Kevin | R | District 24 | (615) 741-1350 | |||||
| Butt, Sheila | R | District 64 | (615) 741-3005 | |||||
| Byrd, David | R | District 71 | (615) 741-2190 | |||||
| Calfee, Kent | R | District 32 | (615) 741-7658 | |||||
| Camper, Karen D. | D | District 87 | (615) 741-1898 | |||||
| Carr, Dale | R | District 12 | (615) 741-5981 | |||||
| Carter, Mike | R | District 29 | (615) 741-3025 | |||||
| Casada, Glen | R | District 63 | (615) 741-4389 | |||||
| Clemmons, John Ray | D | District 55 | (615) 741-4410 | |||||
| Coley, Jim | R | District 97 | (615) 741-8201 | |||||
| Cooper, Barbara | D | District 86 | (615) 741-4295 | |||||
| Daniel, Martin | R | District 18 | (615) 741-2287 | |||||
| DeBerry, John J., Jr. | D | District 90 | (615) 741-2239 | |||||
| Doss, Barry | R | District 70 | (615) 741-7476 | |||||
| Dunlap, Kevin | D | District 43 | (615) 741-1963 | |||||
| Dunn, Bill | R | District 16 | (615) 741-1721 | |||||
| Durham, Jeremy | R | District 65 | (615) 741-1864 | |||||
| Eldridge, Jimmy A. | R | District 73 | (615) 741-7475 | |||||
| Faison, Jeremy | R | District 11 | Rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov | (615) 741-6871 | ||||
| Farmer, Andrew | R | District 17 | (615) 741-4419 | |||||
| Favors, JoAnne | D | District 28 | (615) 741-2702 | |||||
| Fitzhugh, Craig | D | District 82 | (615) 741-2134 | |||||
| Forgety, John | R | District 23 | (615) 741-1725 | |||||
| Gilmore, Brenda | D | District 54 | (615) 741-1997 | |||||
| Goins, Tilman | R | District 10 | (615) 741-6877 | |||||
| Gravitt, Marc | R | District 30 | (615) 741-1934 | |||||
| Halford, Curtis | R | District 79 | (615) 741-7478 | |||||
| Hardaway, G. A. | D | District 93 | (615) 741-5625 | |||||
| Harrison, Mike | R | District 9 | (615) 741-7480 | |||||
| Harwell, Speaker Beth | R | District 56 | (615) 741-0709 | |||||
| Hawk, David | R | District 5 | (615) 741-7482 | |||||
| Hazlewood, Patsy | R | District 27 | (615) 741-2746 | |||||
| Hill, Matthew | R | District 7 | (615) 741-2251 | |||||
| Hill, Timothy | R | District 3 | (615) 741-2050 | |||||
| Holsclaw, Jr., John B. | R | District 4 | (615) 741-7450 | |||||
| Holt, Andy H. | R | District 76 | (615) 741-7847 | |||||
| Howell, Dan | R | District 22 | (615) 741-7799 | |||||
| Hulsey, Bud | R | District 2 | (615) 741-2886 | |||||
| Jernigan, Darren | D | District 60 | (615) 741-6959 | |||||
| Johnson, Curtis G. | R | District 68 | (615) 741-4341 | |||||
| Jones, Sherry | D | District 59 | (615) 741-2035 | |||||
| Kane, Roger | R | District 89 | (615) 741-4110 | |||||
| Keisling, Kelly | R | District 38 | (615) 741-6852 | |||||
| Kumar, Sabi | R | District 66 | (615) 741-2860 | |||||
| Lamberth, William | R | District 44 | (615) 741-1980 | |||||
| Littleton, Mary | R | District 78 | (615) 741-7477 | |||||
| Lollar, Ron | R | District 99 | (615) 741-7084 | |||||
| Love, Harold M., Jr. | D | District 58 | (615) 741-3831 | |||||
| Lundberg, Jon | R | District 1 | (615) 741-7623 | |||||
| Lynn, Susan | R | District 57 | (615) 741-7462 | |||||
| Marsh, Pat | R | District 62 | (615) 741-6824 | |||||
| Matheny, Judd | R | District 47 | (615) 741-7448 | |||||
| Matlock, Jimmy | R | District 21 | (615) 741-3736 | |||||
| McCormick, Gerald | R | District 26 | (615) 741-2548 | |||||
| McDaniel, Steve | R | District 72 | (615) 741-0750 | |||||
| McManus, Steve | R | District 96 | (615) 741-1920 | |||||
| Miller, Larry J. | D | District 88 | (615) 741-4453 | |||||
| Mitchell, Bo | D | District 50 | (615) 741-4317 | |||||
| Moody, Debra | R | District 81 | (615) 741-3774 | |||||
| Parkinson, Antonio | D | District 98 | (615) 741-4575 | |||||
| Pitts, Joe | D | District 67 | (615) 741-2043 | |||||
| Pody, Mark | R | District 46 | (615) 741-7086 | |||||
| Powell, Jason | D | District 53 | (615) 741-6861 | |||||
| Powers, Dennis | R | District 36 | (615) 741-3335 | |||||
| Ragan, John | R | District 33 | (615) 741-4400 | |||||
| Ramsey, Bob | R | District 20 | (615) 741-3560 | |||||
| Reedy, Jay D. | R | District 74 | (615) 741-7098 | |||||
| Rogers, Courtney | R | District 45 | (615) 741-3893 | |||||
| Sanderson, Bill | R | District 77 | (615) 741-0718 | |||||
| Sargent, Charles | R | District 61 | (615) 741-6808 | |||||
| Sexton, Cameron | R | District 25 | (615) 741-2343 | |||||
| Sexton, Jerry | R | District 35 | (615) 741-2534 | |||||
| Shaw, Johnny | D | District 80 | (615) 741-4538 | |||||
| Shepard, David | D | District 69 | (615) 741-3513 | |||||
| Smith, Eddie | R | District 13 | (615) 741-2031 | |||||
| Sparks, Mike | R | District 49 | (615) 741-6829 | |||||
| Spivey, Billy | R | District 92 | (615) 741-4170 | |||||
| Stewart, Mike | D | District 52 | (615) 741-2184 | |||||
| Swann, Art | R | District 8 | (615) 741-5481 | |||||
| Terry, Bryan | R | District 48 | (615) 741-2180 | |||||
| Todd, Curry | R | District 95 | (615) 741-1866 | |||||
| Towns, Joe, Jr. | D | District 84 | (615) 741-2189 | |||||
| Travis, Ron | R | District 31 | (615) 741-1450 | |||||
| Turner, Johnnie | D | District 85 | (615) 741-6954 | |||||
| Van Huss, James (Micah) | R | District 6 | (615) 741-1717 | |||||
| Weaver, Terri Lynn | R | District 40 | (615) 741-2192 | |||||
| White, Dawn | R | District 37 | (615) 741-6849 | |||||
| White, Mark | R | District 83 | (615) 741-4415 | |||||
| Wilburn, Leigh | R | District 94 | (615) 741-6890 | |||||
| Williams, Ryan | R | District 42 | (615) 741-1875 | |||||
| Windle, John Mark | D | District 41 | (615) 741-1260 | |||||
| Wirgau, Tim | R | District 75 | (615) 741-6804 | |||||
| Womick, Rick | R | District 34 | (615) 741-2804 | |||||
| Zachary, Jason | R | District 14 | (615) 741-2264 | |||||
