The Bell monopoly is maintained by claiming rural areas must have a "carrier of last resort," and only the Bells can provide this service.
This is a lie.
The latest example of this lie in action is a "paper" from the so-called National Exchange Carrier Association (a rural phone group that shills for the Bells — think of them as Baby Bells). Titled "The Packet Train Needs to Stop at Every Door," it makes the same tired argument that rural communities can’t get modern infrastructure without subsidies from captive urban customers.
This is a lie.
I can get these people fast Internet service in the time it takes to drink this beer.
Want to know how?
Simply raise the power limits for WiFi in rural areas. There’s no
reason why an area with a population density of 1 person per square
mile should have the same power restrictions as one with 10,000 per
square mile. Rural counties (defined by population density) should have
a permitting process whereby municipalities and entrepreneurs can
increase the power on directional systems (for backhaul) and on
generally-available systems (for local WiFi service).
A simple FCC action, long advocated by smart people like Dave Hughes (the drinker of the beer above), and the rural broadband problem is solved.
Now that rural communities don’t need subsidies to get broadband, why are we tolerating urban monopolies?
I don’t think you even need to raise the power limits carte blanc for rural WiFi. Just adopt the rule that governs 5.8 GHz for 2.4 GHz — no power limit for directional transmitters. That coupled with the already established rules for smart antennae at 2.4 GHz would do the trick. That said, where does the Internet connection needed on the backend come from? The wireless network needs to go to ground eventually and this is a place where the Bells really have control.
I don’t think you even need to raise the power limits carte blanc for rural WiFi. Just adopt the rule that governs 5.8 GHz for 2.4 GHz — no power limit for directional transmitters. That coupled with the already established rules for smart antennae at 2.4 GHz would do the trick. That said, where does the Internet connection needed on the backend come from? The wireless network needs to go to ground eventually and this is a place where the Bells really have control.