Don’t let big corporations hog the airwaves!

"Letter to Editor"

10/19/2005

There’s nothing more maddening than to have a public asset usurped by private enterprise with the full collaboration of the government – our government. Stop this now – or never darken your coffee shop or campus with your laptop again. Andy

From: Consumers Union

Dear Friends,

As the nation’s televisions switch to digital technology, Congress is getting ready to sell our public airwaves to big corporate interests--and in the process prevent cities and towns from setting up valuable community wireless internet projects. Two-thirds of all U.S. households today don’t have high-speed Internet access - either because private companies won’t offer it in their area, or because it’s just too expensive.

Yet increasingly, high-speed internet is a must for economic development, education and job growth. That’s why hundreds of communities have taken matters into their own hands, offering high-speed wireless Internet access over public networks to connect consumers, schools, libraries and businesses. But these wireless networks use public airwaves that are in short supply.

Tell your Congressional representatives to preserve access to our public airwaves for community internet projects! http://cu.convio.net/site/R?i=OBgdQv0IsY93eI-OZvRIgg..

Even though the big telecom and cable companies don’t actually provide service to all our communities, they want to block cities and towns from installing municipal networks. That’s like banning cities from building public libraries because there are book stores in town (or worse yet, banning public libraries even if there are no book stores in town!)

Big telephone and cable companies want to skip over Main Street so they can deliver higher margins to Wall Street. Instead, towns and cities should have all options on the table to assure their economic well being and future growth.

Tell Congress to protect local community wireless projects! Learn what else consumers should know about the switch to digital . And after you take action, please forward this email to your friends and family because we need their voices too!

Sincerely,

Morgan Jindrich
Director, HearUsNow.org
Consumers Union
1666 Connecticut Ave. Suite 310
Washington D.C. 20009