Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Christopher
|
| Updated on
Feb 12, 2013
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/billy-ray-community-broadband-pioneer-joins-us-community-broadband-bits-33
Glasgow was a true pioneer in community owned broadband networks, starting with its own cable plant in the 1980s. Billy Ray, CEO of Glasgow Electric Plant Board, has been an inspiration for municipal broadband networks — one can’t dig into the early history of LUS Fiber in Louisiana without running into something from Billy Ray,… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Lisa Gonzalez
|
| Updated on
Dec 3, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/comcast-gamed-fcc-internet-essentials-concession-nbc-merger
Last year, when Comcast unveiled its Internet Essentials program, the corporate powerhouse received accolades from FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. The program was promoted as an example of corporate philanthropy helping to bridge the digital divide. Comcast received all kinds of positive media coverage for its program. Most of that coverage failed to note that the… Continue reading
In this TEDx talk, delivered on October 20, 2012 at TEDxDirigo‘s Villages conference at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, conference, ILSR Senior Researcher Stacy Mitchell argues for a new phase in the local economy movement. She notes that there’s been a resurgence of support for small farms, local businesses, and community banks, but argues: “As remarkable… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Lisa Gonzalez
|
| Updated on
Oct 29, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/antitrust-enforcement-yields-increased-investment-wireless
We have long argued that smart antitrust policy promotes investment and competition in the market. Allowing a few firms to consolidate too much power allows them to ignore our needs because we lack alternative service providers. In economic terms, they can use their market power to prevent market entry from innovative new firms. Harold Feld… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Lisa Gonzalez
|
| Updated on
Sep 5, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/antitrust-allegations-against-comcast-nothing-new
We have frequently written of Comcast’s anti-consumer actions past posts, so we were not surprised to learn that the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently decided to investigate the cable company for antitrust. The borders between antitrust and hyper competitive business practices are grey; Comcast has experimented in the shadows on more than one occasion. We looked into one nine-year-old case, that… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Lisa Gonzalez
|
| Updated on
Aug 21, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/unions-and-dsl-customers-verizon-knocks-out-two-birds-one-stone
If you are a current or potential Verizon customer, by now you know that you no longer have the option to order stand alone DSL. When the business decision became public knowledge in April, DSL Reports.com looked into the apparent step backward and found existing customers were grandfathered in but: However, if you disconnect and… Continue reading
Featured
Article
filed under
Independent Business
| Written by
Stacy Mitchell
|
| Updated on
Jun 20, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/dojs-lawsuit/
For years, Amazon has used its size and market power to bully publishers and keep other retailers from competing in the e-book market. And, for years, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has done nothing to constrain Amazon’s abuses or bring about a more competitive marketplace. So it was quite a shock last month when… Continue reading
Article
filed under
Broadband
| Written by
Lisa Gonzalez
|
| Updated on
Jun 6, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.muninetworks.org/content/five-cities-denounce-verizoncomcast-spectrum-deal
If you live in Boston, Baltimore, Albany, Syracuse, or Buffalo, you won’t be getting FiOS from Verizon. Absent any public investment, you will likely be stuck with DSL and cable… like 80% of the rest of us. Not long after Verizon announced it would cease expanding FiOS, we learned that Verizon was coming to an… Continue reading
Featured
Article
filed under
Independent Business
| Written by
Stacy Mitchell
|
| Updated on
Apr 27, 2012
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/walmart-de-mexico-scandal/
By bribing officials, Walmart was able to outpace its competitors, opening new stores so fast they had no time to react. In just a few years, Walmart came out of nowhere to dominate the Mexican economy. But, as any athlete or other competitor knows, if you’re caught cheating your way to a win, then you most certainly do not get to keep the prize. Continue reading
Rule
filed under
Independent Business
| Written by
admin
|
| Updated on
Jun 2, 2011
The content that follows was originally published on the Institute for Local Self-Reliance website at http://www.ilsr.org/rule/antitrust-policies/2216-2/
Laws in some European countries, most notably Germany, require all bookstores, including online sellers, to sell books at fixed prices. Supporters say outlawing discounts protects independent bookstores and small publishers, which in turn ensures that a broader variety of books are available and that there is less focus on best-sellers. Continue reading
