Wilson established its internet service before the law went into effect, and probably paniced the monopolies into getting the law passed, since their service was so utterly superior and cheaper in cost to anything the monopolies offered. Wilson only barely managed to get grandfathered in; the law also prohibits any new government provided internet service. Example: Chapel Hill, NC was busy designing public WIFI service, but has abandoned that to the incumbent Time Warner Cable monopoly WIFI. Oh, you don't have a TWC account? Sucks to be you.
My opinion: the legislature is totally corrupt. The only silver lining is that Google is (a) a "private" concern and (b) is coming to me in a few years. AT&T is also competing right now, but their "fiber" turns into ADSL a few hundred yards from the customer. The non-Research Triangle Park areas of the state are screwed until Google can provide competition. It would be far better for counties/cities to start that competition now.
I did a tiny bit of research this evening, because this sounded so crazy.
My opinion: People on the edge of wilson county should petition to redraw the county line. Eroding the tax base might scare the legislature into being a tiny bit more sane.
My opinion: the legislature is totally corrupt. The only silver lining is that Google is (a) a "private" concern and (b) is coming to me in a few years. AT&T is also competing right now, but their "fiber" turns into ADSL a few hundred yards from the customer. The non-Research Triangle Park areas of the state are screwed until Google can provide competition. It would be far better for counties/cities to start that competition now.