Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Rural Broadband Bill Rushed for Senate Vote

Update (1/23/19): Bill passes Senate without amendment. 

Steve Wilson reported on the Mississippi Center for Public Policy's website:

House Bill 366— which would allow rural electric power associations to provide broadband service to their customers — will reach the Senate floor unaltered from its final House version that was approved on January 15.

Energy Committee Chairwoman and state Sen. Sally Doty (R-Brookhaven) said that one of the reasons why the bill would take effect immediately on passage was an April deadline for the EPAs, also known as co-ops, to apply for federal grants to provide broadband service.

Most bills that become law take effect on July 1, the first day of the new fiscal year.

There were two amendments that were shot down on voice votes.

State Sen. John Polk (R-Hattiesburg) wanted a 10-year requirement for EPAs to provide broadband to all of their customers.

State Sen. Josh Harkins (R-Flowood) wanted a reverse repealer, which is a legislative tactic which forces reconsideration before it can reach Gov. Phil Bryant’s desk for a signature.

Harkins voted for the bill, despite voicing some reservations on whether the EPAs would serve rural customers and not try to start building a base in more population-dense suburban areas served by EPAs.

Some of Harkins’ suburban Rankin County district is served by EPAs.

“Obviously, if this bill passes, people are going to have the expectation that they’re going to have fast internet service pretty quick,” Harkins said. “Will these companies try to reach the areas that are under served and not dense areas of population?”
Doty said that if the Legislature gives co-ops the ability to provide broadband service, it’ll be their responsibility to manage those expectations. She cautioned a constituent that stopped her in the grocery store about rural broadband.

“It’s not going to be something that’s immediate and is not necessarily going to be in all parts of the state,” Doty said. “This gives us in Mississippi another option to provide broadband services.”  Rest of article.

 The Energy Committee is scheduled to meet tomorrow but held this special meeting today with no notice.  The bill was rushed through the House last week and is scheduled for a Senate vote tomorrow as well.  Make no mistake, the electric co-ops and the legislative leadership flexed their muscle over the last ten days;



19 comments:

Anonymous said...

Beware of Doty

Anonymous said...

Always read the campaign finance reports. Just like the airport deal

Anonymous said...

Anyone want to provide a pros and cons list? More competition is good right?

Anonymous said...

Why do they need permission at all? That's the real question. Take away rights and then grant them back on your own terms, now that's the definition of power.

...And We're Here To Help You. said...

All of this yammering back and forth is ridiculous. It's none of government's business in the first place. Let the market rule. If a co-op wants to venture out and fails, that's the risk they took. If several want to attempt it and succeed, others will pattern their activities accordingly.

Why the hell does government, especially this bunch of yahoos, think it needs to stand in the way of anything that might benefit the people. Mississippi is the only state with this current prohibition. That speaks loudly.

PS: There's no reason to 'beware Doty'. She's correct, numbskull.

Anonymous said...

Why have they not been allowed to before now? Why shouldn’t they be allowed to?

Anonymous said...

The Coops are going to make $$$$$$$ on Pole attachment fees as a way of other revenue income since their systems are not growing. Bottom line and extend internet service to a few wealthy plantation owner board of directors that have griped about not having good service up at the big house....

Anonymous said...

Hunting camp internet for the privileged.

Anonymous said...

Hunting Camp my ass, 9:13. Twenty percent of this state is probably affected by zero or poor service. The population of entire counties are affected. And YOU chirp about the privileged while having your morning bourbon clicked onto the internet.

Larry the Cableguy said...

Internet at hunting camp also allows us low rent rednecks to protect and monitor our stuff from crackheads, thugs, and Chrystal Methodists. Plus allows us to make money while we're having fun. #workhardplayharder

Anonymous said...

Why are people here so negative? Doty along with Commissioner Brandon Presley are doing what she can to help bring broadband to the rural areas which is no easy task.

Anonymous said...

a Hail Mary for co-op revenue enhancement....

Anonymous said...

"Doty (R-Brookhaven) said that one of the reasons why the bill would take effect immediately on passage was an April deadline for the EPAs, also known as co-ops, to apply for federal grants to provide broadband service."

GRANTS!!!

Anonymous said...

9:51- Lets talk again when you get your first bill, then the increases that are sure to follow. And please dont forget these services are heavily taxed.

Anonymous said...

What's wrong with grants when they serve a definite and recognized public service, 11:26? Would you rather the rate-paying customers be asked to pony up and foot the bill in increased billings? If there's transparency, a grant is a good thing. The problem with grants has always been disappearing money and reappearing BMWs.

Co-ops are non-profits, but you didn't know that.

Anonymous said...

$5 gets you $10 that the Legislature finds a way to bailout all these rural co-ops when their broadband bets go bad before the Legislature finds a way to reform PERS.

Anonymous said...

Are the "proposed" broadband "affiliates" going to the allowed to crawl all over co-op power poles etc.? I doubt it. Will the "broadband affiliate" have to pay for "their fair share" of ROW services to keep vegetation off lines and poles, dead trees removed, clearing etc? Who will put the fiber back up on the poles when a storm comes along and knocks all the $hi! in the ditch?.... YES YES lets hurry this through the legislature. Ask questions later....

Anonymous said...

I resurrected and updated my earlier comment from a previous post on this subject by KF:

1:26 -- Respectfully, who says that there will be fiber on all of the EPA poles? As far as "... ROW services to keep vegetation off lines and poles, dead trees removed, clearing etc...", that might be an economy of scale that helps to reduce either the cost of the new broadband service or reduce the cost of the new service and provision of existing electric power service (you only have to do it once either way, right?) A new all-fiber network to every home is an excellent possible solution (an expensive one at that) but there appear to be multiple technical approaches for rural broadband expansion. Can anyone spell "airgig"? FTTN? FTTP? Fixed Wireless? What do the EPAs bring to the technical rural broadband equation that existing providers don't -- ubiquitous *powerline* infrastructure. That's all. They're not technically smarter or more well-financed than the existing broadband technical/service/engineering providers.

I greatly respect what EPAs do (I really like dependable electricity on cold nights) but this legislation simply means that, with restrictions and guidance, they "may" seek to get themselves into this line of service. Should that include engineering, installing, and managing a completely new all-fiber-optic infrastructure to every rural consumer premise in their area? Big telcos/providers already know how to do that but they don't/won't. Why? Because it's hugely expensive and they can't see the return profit on that investment.

The "winning" EPAs who get into this business will probably leverage partnerships with current large providers and use differing hybrid technologies for carrying broadband traffic and then doing the "last-mile" distribution to consumers. Can powerline, fiber, and wireless (including limited-distance 5G) technologies all play a role in a single EPA broadband system? Sure -- with the right design, partnering, start-up funding, service model, and good oversight. Would a Cadillac (sorry GM) all fiber system be the most desirable -- sure, I love the gigabit fiber connectivity my other family members have in their Mississippi homes but that doesn't help me a bit out here in the sticks and the telcos ain't gonna come here with it. I'd love a symmetric gigabit connection to the internet -- but I would sure as hell be delighted with a low-latency, symmetric 20 megabit/sec connection that works when it rains. It beats the overpriced, under-performing satellite connectivity I have now.

The EPAs will bring 2 important things to the table -- ubiquitous powerline infrastructure and political weight for partnering to get USDA/federal funding for the startup infrastructure costs -- for whatever gets installed. Now that the legislature has taken the muzzle off the EPAs, I hope they exercise some good judgement and look for good technical and financial solutions. We need them...

Anonymous said...

When this goes to shit, and inevitably it will, remember that Brandon Presley owns it.



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.