Utah: Utopia - 10 Mbs for $40/month

UTOPIA The Utah Telecommunication Open Infrastructure Agency (UTOPIA) is a consortium of 14 Utah cities engaged in deploying and operating a 100% fiber optic network to every business and household (about 140,000) within its footprint. Operating at the wholesale level, this project is probably the best example of a Wholesale Lease Model, wherein the government simply builds the infrastructure then makes it available to ISPs to come in to lease access and provide service.

The strategy is to enable multiple competitors who will compete and bring the prices down and service levels up - a true market-based scenario. Philadelphia will follow this model as well with their new wireless network. This approach supports open access and promotes competition in all telecommunications services.

Broadband News: Broadband Utopia in Utah reports dramatically low rates in Utah as a result of the Utopia Project. Let's see, 10 Mbs @ $40/month = $4/Mbs/month...that has to be the cheapest broadband available in the US. Compared to my $48/month for cable broadband, I'd say I'm paying a little too much - like about, say, 10 times too much. And many in rural areas would consider $48/month a bargain. Cases like this show how dramatic the possibilties are.

Posted on August 03, 2005 at 11:49 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack