• SirDerpy@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    35
    ·
    edit-2
    3 months ago

    We did the same for urban fiber. It’s never materialized, either. And, the USDA has been providing funding and loans for rural broadband for quite awhile.

    • db2@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      17
      ·
      3 months ago

      It’s almost like the foxes are running the hen house, as the old saying goes.

    • reddig33@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      5
      ·
      3 months ago

      I’ve read there’s lots of “dark” fiber in cities, but I don’t know if it’s true. I do know that AT&T has a fiber line that runs through my neighborhood, yet I can’t get fiber internet. Really stupid.

      • Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        10
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        3 months ago

        “Whats this?”

        “Thats the fiber line.”

        “Oh, cool. Can I get fiber?”

        “No.”

        “Why not?”

        “We’d need some federal grants to run some fiber first.”

        “But the fiber is right here.”

        “We need that for other people to get fiber.”

        “Well, why can’t I access it too?”

        “Ugh! I told you! We need public money to our multibillion dollar company to use this fiber line thats already here!”

        “I don’t understand…”

        “You wouldn’t.”

      • SirDerpy@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        3 months ago

        I do know that AT&T has a fiber line that runs through my neighborhood, yet I can’t get fiber internet

        The local exchange carriers (LECs) typically change from plain olds telephone system (POTS) to fiber at the neighborhood level. Coax carriers also.

        Fiber to the neighborhood is already there. It’s not hard to run a line across a neighborhood to connect whatever on either side.

        The difficult part is getting from a neighborhood connection to each individual home. It’s a flower pot install on each property, all connected together underground, and it can’t fuck with gas, water, sewer, etc.

        • reddig33@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          3 months ago

          Seems like they could connect something wireless to the fiber to provide internet to the home.

          • SirDerpy@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            3
            ·
            3 months ago

            The entire cellular network, particularly T-Mo 5G unlimited, would put it to shame. If one wants better then Starlink.

            The way to do wireless would be to form a neighborhood ISP, put up a tower, then wireless P2P to each home. I’ve seen it in a few places. More common is citywide wifi.

    • tal@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      4
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      3 months ago

      I don’t think that the United States Department of Agriculture is involved in subsidizing urban fiber.

      • SirDerpy@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        3 months ago

        Yeah. That’s wasn’t very clear. The USDA has been funding and providing loans for rural broadband. About $1b, IIRC.

        Thanks for the pointing that out.

    • sunzu@kbin.run
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      2
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      3 months ago

      American taxpayer is always paying for major CapEx for most industries then turn around and price gouge us.

      Most amercians see to be fine with it since they live in a free market economy where private sector funds investment.

      • SirDerpy@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        3 months ago

        free market economy where private sector funds investment

        If that’s how it actually worked we might accept it. But, today there’s little distinction between public and private: Corporations own our government.