North Carolina is not the only state where big telecom providers have gotten laws passed to protect their incumbency and monopoly/duopoly pricing.  From 2004, here is a list of the other states.  This may be one of the issues we may want to work on in the future.  These laws need to be repealed.  Local communities should not have their hands tied on broadband by one or two providers that only understand the word “no.”

State Barriers to Community Broadband Services

(updated December 2004)

Arkansas prohibits municipal entities from providing basic local exchange services. (Ark. Code § 23-17-409)

Florida imposes various taxes to increase the prices of telecommunications services (as distinguished from other services) sold by public entities. (Florida Statutes §§ 125.421, 166.047, 196.012, 199.183 and 212.08). Declared unconstitutional under Florida law, City of Gainesville v. Zingale, CA No. 2000-CA-00 1582 (Cir. Ct. 2d Cir., Leon Co., March 20, 2002), aff’d, Dep’t of Revenue v. City of Gainesville, No. 1D02-1582 (Dist. Ct. App., 1st Dist., Nov. 26, 2003), appeal pending in Florida Supreme Court.

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It looks like StoptheCap! gets to wrap up North Carolina Week today after four days of intense lobbying and fighting back against telecom lobbies and the clueless legislators duped into doing their bidding (or financially rewarded with a nice campaign contribution.)

We’ve learned several lessons from this battle, which we managed to win on both fronts, thanks to the help of everyone who got involved:

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Gov. Jim Hunt

INFORMATION HIGHWAYS ANNOUNCEMENT
Governor Jim Hunt

May 10, 1993

Today North Carolina takes a giant step forward into our future.

This Fall, North Carolina will link up the most advanced telecommunications network of its kind in the world — a network that will ensure that the state will be a leader in the 21st century.

The network will reach into every corner of our great state. It will connect our cities with our towns, our schoolhouses and our courthouses, our hospitals and clinics — our people all across the state.

Early in this century, North Carolina came to be known as the “Good Roads State.” We discovered a new technology — and started paving roads. Those roads began moving people and products in ways never before possible.

Today we reach out for a new technology — a new kind of highway. The North Carolina Information Highway.

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I was unable to attend this morning’s meeting of the Senate Commerce Committee, but just received a text message from Senator Don Vaughn, who represents me, indicating they sent SB 1004 to the “study committee.”

It has been a wild ride the last two days.  There was an estimated 150 people in the House Committee meeting yesterday.  Everyone from ordinary consumers like us, mayors of cities interested in our fight, to the pro-business/cable “Americans for Prosperity” who showed up wearing anti-communism buttons.

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The companion bill in the North Carolina Senate that would have effectively killed municipal networks across the state has gone the way of the House bill HB 1252 — into the black hole of the “study committee.”  While the issue may yet re-emerge after it “has been studied,” it’s dead for now.  Thank you to everyone in North Carolina who responded with an outpouring of calls and e-mails to elected officials in the Senate after big cable tried a sneak attack to ram this through this morning.

This is your third victory for consumer rights in less than a month.  We’re on a roll!