More rhetoric from the Tax Payers Association. If they had their way on many of the most progressive additions to our society, we would still have dirt roads and the pony express. Competition is important and UTOPIA fosters competition in allowing any provider to offer services on this ultra high speed network. Qwest and the other current telcoms want to continue to ride their antiquated network cash cows to the bank. In my area, Qwest doesn't even offer their old gray mare to me or my neighbors. Competition is not helping in my case, and I (without drinking the Qwest Koolaid) can see the future need for a much faster communication network. What better way to spend tax dollars than to increase the communications infrastructure in our cities. Was there this many roadblocks when the decided to build current freeway system across the nation. I bet some form of the Tax Payers Association was there to say, "why do we need the highway system when I can get to where I need to go on all of these lovely slow back country roads." No vision for the future.

I wish I had UTOPIA in SLC.

I was at that hearing and the UTA was peddling their usual tripe. Apparently "competition" to the UTA means lawsuits from Qwest, illegal blocking of telephone pole access and paperwork delays with the federal government. They had a pretty funny definition of "free market", that's for sure.

Typical arguments from both sides. In the case of Qwest, they have historically benefited from government subsidies, allowances, etc., but cry foul when others receive the same favors.

In the case of UTOPIA, the idea of a metro-provided broadband infrastructure is sound in the abstract case, the only argument against it is their particular implementation.

If I ran my own city, and wanted it to be economically successful, I would provide roads, sewers, water, ... AND a city owned and maintained method of getting broadband to the residents and businesses. Letting the Qwests of this world own the last mile to the homes and businesses is a guaranteed way of not providing needed telecommunications services, and a guaranteed way of charging too much for what they do provide.

Don't let the news stories mislead you - resistance to muni-provided broadband infrastructure comes from only two sources: Those who don't want to spend money on anything (UTA) and those who represent the incumbent telecoms (Qwest).

I love iProvo. Awesome internet access, great rates. Haven't had any problems.

Maybe more people would sign up if it was available. We have the lines installed in Salt Lake but no one can sign up. I have been having horrible problems with Comcast, however they are the only broadband option I have.

The bigger issue with Comcast and Qwest is they want to control what I do with my bandwidth. I do not mind if they put a monthly data transfer limit, for UTOPIA through Xmission you have 100 GB a month. However if I want to transfer 100 GB let me do it. Comcast throws a wrench in the works to slow it down. They don't care about a free open internet, they want people to see what they want.

I have worked in the digital media industry for the last several years. There are some very exciting things happening. We should all be eager to be a part of that... but if Qwest and Comcast keep tricking people with this shell game we are going to be left behind.