🚀 go-pugleaf

king@hermes.dciem.dnd.ca (Stephen King) wrote:
>In article <49vd1j$sfv@noc.tor.hookup.net>, Brad Aisa <baisa@hookup.net> 
wrote:
>>
>>Have you noticed it is _illegal_ to try to compete with the cable 
company?
>
>No, I hadn't noticed, but then they don't advertise this fact , do they?
>
>Please expound for those of us less well informed in this area. Thanks.


In order to protect us from the blight of monopoly, the government decries 
that utilities shall be monopolies. To become a broadcaster, you must 
obtain a license from the CRTC. The CRTC presently only licenses one cable 
operator per geographic area. If you tried to become a cable broadcaster in 
any serviced area, you would be denied a license. If you went ahead without 
a license, you would be forcibly stopped.

The CRTC has indicated it doesn't plan to regulate Internet providers 
(though it has the power to do so, if it wishes.) So it is conceivable that 
you could start a utility to provide _just_ Internet access. But given that 
Rogers can use their cable for _both_ purposes, they would always be able 
to undercut your costs.

Also, as a utility, you would be subject to full municipal regulation.

--
Brad Aisa, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
baisa@hookup.net   web archive: http://www.hookup.net/~baisa/

"The highest responsibility of philosophers is to serve as the
guardians and integrators of human knowledge."   -- Ayn Rand