Les Jones: Nashville Broadband Proposal

October 31, 2005

Municipal Wi-Fi > Nashville Broadband Proposal

The Tennesseean has a pro wi-fi editorial:

Nashville has everything to gain and nothing to lose by studying what Metro might reap from providing broadband access countywide.
The estimated $300 million cost of the service shouldn't deter the task force which will look at how a system might connect the most disadvantaged child to the Internet or better serve public safety, public works and education needs. The world of the Internet, broadband, digital, Wi-Fi and beyond encourages people to think creatively and to think big. So why not Nashville?

To which Bob Krumm responds:

Ummm. . . has anybody stopped to do the math on this proposal? With a 300 million dollar pricetag--a cost well over a thousand dollars a household--wouldn't it make more sense for the city to just pay our Comcast bills?

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Comments

It may seem minor, but there is something to lose by studying the proposal: that being the money needed to fund the study.

Simple opportunity cost-if the money goes to study wi-fi, it can't be used elsewhere, like fixing a couple extra potholes, or paying an extra guy to pick up trash in the park, or whatever.

Basic economics.

Posted by: Heartless Libertarian at October 31, 2005

But... but... it'll be FREE!!
/snark

Posted by: Nate at October 31, 2005

You know, we've gotten numb to hearing about a billion or ten billion at the federal level, but at the city level 300 million is a huge number. I don't think people appreciate that.

Posted by: Les Jones at October 31, 2005