Letters to the editor, July 11
July 10, 2012 12:18PM
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Updated: August 12, 2012 6:09AM
More broadband regulation could kill economic growth
Despite dismal job reports and slow overall economic growth, American broadband companies have pulled a rabbit out of a hat, announcing higher download speeds and bringing faster broadband to more neighborhoods.
Our economy depends on this kind of growth to climb out of its slump. But some want to foist European-style regulations on this lone bright spot, which would raise prices, slow innovation and reduce consumer choices.
And why?
There’s little reason to regulate a broadband market that’s firing on all cylinders.
Broadband companies have spent $1.2 trillion on their networks since 1996, including $250 billion in the last four years. Ninety-five percent of U.S. homes have at least one wire-line connection and the rest live in remote, rural areas, according to the FCC.
More than 80 percent of U.S. homes have access to speeds of 100 Mbps from their cable company. Verizon is offering a 300 Mbps tier to tens of millions of homes.
And it’s not as if we don’t have choices. Most consumers can select from at least seven, often more, wired and wireless broadband companies with services starting as low as $15 to $20 per month. And new tiered services let heavy users buy additional band width whenever they need it.
Why should the government “bail out” or take control of an Internet marketplace that is expanding like a gold rush boom town?
Ill-advised regulations could turn this industry into a broadband dust bowl, sending the economy into a second recession.
Harry C. Alford
President/CEO
National Black Chamber of Commerce
Washington, D.C.
City shouldn’t make couple use licensed tree cutter
The storm we had last weekend knocked down some trees in Prairie View subdivision, off 109th Avenue and Broadway.
I have a family member who lives there. Her neighbors lost one of their trees, and they are an elderly couple. The wife is battling cancer and they are on fixed incomes.
I voluntarily went over to cut up the tree for free, and they were told by the city of Crown Point they would be fined $1,500 if I did it and not someone who is licensed and bonded in Crown Point.
This was a small pear tree sitting in the front yard and didn’t require a tree service to come out and charge them a bunch of money that they didn’t deserve to pay.
Someone should look into this to help out our senior citizens.
John Lind
Merrillville
Reducing health care costs starts with Washington
I heard if we really are going to reduce health-care costs, like other nations, and live as long as they do, all of our Washington politicians will need spine transplants.
John Anderson
Kouts
