---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <20180114005425.GA19540@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2018 19:54:25 -0500 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: Colorado Cities Keep Voting To Build Their Own Broadband Networks from the roll-your-own dept So we've long mentioned how incumbent ISPs like Comcast have spent millions of dollars quite literally buying shitty, protectionist laws in more than twenty states. These laws either ban or heavily hamstring towns and cities from building their own broadband networks, or in some cases from even engaging in public/private partnerships. It's a scenario where ISPs get to have their cake and eat it too; they often refuse to upgrade their networks in under-served areas (particularly true among telcos offering DSL), but also get to write shitty laws preventing these under-served towns from doing anything about it. This dance of dysfunction has been particularly interesting in Colorado, however. While lobbyists for Comcast and CenturyLink managed to convince state leaders to pass such a law (SB 152) in 2005, the legislation contains a provision that lets individual Colorado towns and cities ignore the measure with a simple referendum. With frustration mounting over sub-standard broadband and awful customer service, more than 100 towns and cities have done so thus far. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20180104/09234138930/colorado-cities-keep-voting-to-build-their-own-broadband-networks.shtml -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20180114022117.GA19722@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2018 21:21:17 -0500 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: Property tax refund for AT&T costs Chicago District $1.1 million The office of Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx settled 5,208 property-tax appeals during her first 11 months in office, resulting in refunds to businesses totaling more than $79.5 million, with the largest single settlement costing Barrington Area Unit District 220 $1.1 million in property tax revenue this year, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting. The break for AT&T Corp. related to refunds it sought for its Hoffman Estates office complex, which it has largely vacated in recent years. AT&T was represented by the law firm owned by powerful Chicago alderman Edward Burke, who held a fundraiser for Foxx at his home shortly before her election and contributed $10,000 to her campaign. http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180113/property-tax-refund-for-atampt-costs-district-220-11-million -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20180114021804.GA19658@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2018 21:18:04 -0500 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: First No Bonus, Now No Merit Raise for Frustrated CenturyLink Workers Written by Edward Gately After canceling holiday bonuses, CenturyLink has told employees it also is suspending merit raises this year. Mark Molzen, CenturyLink spokesman, confirmed the suspension of the annual pay raise. "CenturyLink, as all businesses, continually evaluates cost structure and business practices, and adjusts operations to meet the needs of the business," he said. "As a result, we have made the difficult decision that there will be no merit increases given to employees in 2018." https://www.channelpartnersonline.com/2018/01/12/first-no-bonus-now-no-merit-raise-for-frustrated-centurylink-workers/ -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <D62B83C9-EC57-4EF8-BA44-6A6E3E108892@roscom.com> Date: Sat, 13 Jan 2018 14:45:34 -0500 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> Subject: Hawaii 'ballistic missile threat' alert to phones was false alarm, officials say Hawaii 'ballistic missile threat' alert to phones was false alarm, officials say. by Erik Ortiz, Phil McCausland and Chelsea Bailey Hawaiians were thrown into a panic Saturday morning after an emergency alert was mistakenly sent, warning them to "seek immediate shelter" from a ballistic missile threat, and it took emergency officials 38 minutes to send a new alert to mobile phones that the threat was a false alarm. Hawaii Emergency Management Agency Administrator Vern Miyagi said at a press conference with the governor Saturday afternoon that a single individual sent out the alert by mistake. The individual went so far as to click through a second message, intended as a safeguard, that asked whether the alert should go out. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hawaii-ballistic-missile-threat-alert-phones-was-false-alarm-officials-n837511 ------------------------------ ********************************************* End of telecom Digest Sun, 14 Jan 2018