Google Had Sweeteners For Kansas Fiber, Now Time Warner Cable Inc. and AT

[engine]

An interesting develelopment in the battle to bring in Google. If the city does add sweetners and it goes ahead, this can only benefit the people of Kansas.

To entice Google Inc. to build its ultra-high-speed fiber network there, Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City, Mo., offered the Internet company sweeteners including several free or discounted city services. Now, Time Warner Cable Inc. and AT&T Inc., the incumbent Internet and TV providers in town, are angling to get the same deal.

Google Had Sweeteners For Kansas Fiber, Now Time Warner Cable Inc. and AT&T Inc. Want a Deal, Too [online.wsj.com]

Earlier story
Google Chooses Kansas City For Its High Speed Network [webmasterworld.com]

[ken_b]

That's subscriber only link.

[TypicalSurfer]

Kansas City government officials also disagree. "Google has completely disrupted [Internet service] business models," says Rick Usher, assistant city manager of Kansas City, Mo. "Our citizens are more aware than ever before of what's available out there."

Nary a connection has been lit but the kool-ade is being poured with abandon. I hope the good citizens of KC actually get what they are paying for, it looks like the local bureaucrats gave away quite a few goodies. Free office space and free power..yikes. I have no problem with politicos being business friendly but subsidizing a business on the backs of taxpayers can blur the lines between what a good business model might look like and what a good taxpayer raking is.



BTW, you can catch the whole article if you reach it through a google search.

[edited by: TypicalSurfer at 10:35 pm (utc) on Oct 8, 2012]

[mhansen]

I agree technology is good, and being in a city where TWC and ATT control all internet access, I support competition. I do however feel it should be fair amongst all...

Along with free power and office space...

Among the sweeteners granted Google by both cities are free office space and free power for Google's equipment, according to the agreement on file with the cities.

The company also gets the use of all the cities' "assets and infrastructure"—including fiber, buildings, land and computer tools, for no charge. Both cities are even providing Google a team of government employees "dedicated to the project."

I think the others are right to ask for a level playing field.

[TypicalSurfer]

I think the others are right to ask for a level playing field.

I wonder what the logistics would look like if they gave away everything to everyone :0

[mhansen]

I wonder what the logistics would look like if they gave away everything to everyone :0

May create a few new jobs, but it will probably overload local services.

[lucy24]

Oh, wait, wait, I know this one. The town builds a new water-treatment plant that will serve not only residential customers but a nearby factory that uses huge amounts of water at a nice constant rate, day in and day out, just what you like to see. Prices down, efficiency up.

Until the factory shuts down, the treatment plant has to downshift to a much less efficient level, and everyone's water bill goes sky high.

Happened before I moved here, but they're stuck with it until the treatment plant dies of old age.