Comments for Market Share at http://www.theind.com , comment 1 to 14 out of 14 comments http://www.theind.com Wed, 22 May 2013 09:26:58 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-13595 Unfortunately only Tim and a few others get it. Gov't should only exist to do the few services that the private sector cannot (coin $, pave roads, Military etc.) not to provide fiber. I am 100% in favor of fiber and technology but this is best done via private enterprise. Gov't only fails or does less efficient when it tries to do what private enterprise can do. Look at the Post office, Amtrak etc. Stick to the few things and let private folks create wealth. Gov't destroys wealth. Please read Atlas Shrugged (Rand) and Wealth of Nations (Smith). - Lafayette's Libertarian Banker Thu, 30 Dec 2010 00:55:01 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12886 To holeinthedonut8, Excellent point about "not seeing the WOW" you expected. The WOW is happening all around you. You see it every day, but you may not notice it. The problem with not seeing the WOW is that it's not specific to LUS fiber. The LUS system delivers Cable TV, a POTS phone line and broadband Internet. That's about it. The WOW was sold as something intangilbe that had the potential to really catapult Lafayette forward technologically. More specifically, it was sold as this magical technology NIRVANA would NOT happen if we did NOT build the fiber system. Sorry for the double negative, but I am paraphrasing the Durel administration's sales pitch. They essentially said "we don't know what cool stuff will happen, but if we don't build it, it won't happen, so we have to build it." Nearly those exact words came out of Joey Durel's mouth at at least one of the "Town hall" meetings that I went to. Kinda like Nancy Pelosi on the health care bill, "we have to pass this so we will know what's in it." So what's the WOW?? Facebook, Youtube, iPhone apps, Google, On Demand video, iPads, security systems with smart home technology, email, VOIP technology, Xbox Live, Playstation Live, DVR's, Netflix or Hulu streaming (to your PC, Wii, Xbox, etc), online backups, ordering your pizza online, Skype, shopping without leaving your house, working from home and being connected to the office, and many more. TV's that you can plug in to the Internet and do some or all fo the above WITHOUT a computer!!! 3D TV!! There's your WOW, and lots of it! Those are all FANTASTIC ways that technology is impacting more and more of us every day. The Wow is there, but you don't have to have LUS to get it. All you have to have is an Internet connection. Most of these can be utilized just fine by the average user with an Internet connection from AT&T, Cox, LUS or other. More advanced users will benefit from a connection of 10 Mbps or higher on the download speed. Cox and LUS both provide connections that do just fine. AT&T is low man on the totem pole right now for Internet speeds, but that won't be for long. They have their U-Verse product in areas around Baton Rouge and New Orleans, but I know it will be coming here soon too as that is what they are going to nationwide. To address the WOW that is specific to LUS, I just don't think it's there. I don't think that it will ever be there. Any technology that is developed by evil out of state companies (because all companies that are not LUS are evil, right??) will be based on standard TCP/IP Internet technology and not specific to LUS. They also are developed to work on a variety of access media, speeds, etc. And there isn't any incentive for local companies to develop applications that only run on LUS fiber, because to make any kind of return on investment they would need to reach the largest user base and that's not on LUS. They would want to reach all of Acadiana, and really, be useable all over the world. That's what the Internet is all about. But the core of the matter is that governments don't innovate. Governments CAN be effective users of technology, but it takes many players in a robust competitive private sector to innovate. And that is happening with or without LUS. So we spent $110 Million dollars to get some WOW that is already here and happens without the $110 Million dollars. I don't call that WOW, I call that UGGGHH!!! - Concerned4LFT Thu, 02 Dec 2010 12:39:43 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12872 Yes thanks LUS for connecting us to the world....When was the internet invented? Oh yeah 1969 wake up Fiber Pro you are making it sound like Lafayette is still in the 1920's and why cant you people just pick your service and shut up who really cares about what services you like or dont like...get a life - Dumb comment Thu, 02 Dec 2010 09:02:57 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12812 RODE O CLOWN, MY MAN THINK OF THE STIMULUS TO THE LCG ADMINISTRATION, Everyone remotely connected to the FIBER PROJECT, and to LCG received a bigggg wedge of the pie. Would they like a redo, you can bet ya ass they would, ITS PARTY TIME SOMEWHERE, EH JOEY ? - NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN Tue, 30 Nov 2010 16:48:57 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12793 LUS is a "duck out of water" with respect to this fiber project. From the "get-go" this was an enterprise fund on the part of the city to simply raise additional revenue for the city. Other than from an administration perspective, those heading this program, i.e, Huval, are not prepared or equipped to handle a system of this magnitude. It's time for the "fiber program" to start delivering upon what was promised and quit making excuses. This is the one and only way LUS Fibre will be able to survive. Otherwise, LUS will have to raise rates/take monies from other city coffers in order to pay on the $115+ million dollar debt the citizens have been encumbered with by Durel and the administration. Good Day/Rode "O" Clown - RODE O CLOWN Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:00:42 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12778 "Next year, LUS Fiber will have to make a principle and interest payment on its debt" principle- a fundamental, primary, or general law or truth from which others are derived; a fundamental doctrine or tenet principal-a capital sum, as distinguished from interest or profit. - knitpicker Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:03:12 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12772 “written by Terry Huval , November 23, 2010 The phrase "canvassing the returns", in this case, is one that was used by the attorneys in the acceptance/recognition of the official vote tally for the election to issue the bonds which were essential for the project to proceed. Whether or not a voter representative was part of the LPUA or not, the approval by both the LPUA and the Council insured that all voters in the city were represented in canvassing of the returns, as this referendum was voted on only by city of Lafayette voters.” “…Ottinger said. There are a number of necessary steps that must be taken for an election on a proposition." (Source: The Advertiser, August 12, 2010) FYI “Canvass. The act of examining and COUNTING THE RETURNS OF VOTES cast at a public election TO DETERMINE AUTHENTICITY.” (Source: Black’s Law Dictionary) RS 18:1292 “§1292. Canvass of returns On the date and at the hour and place specified in the notice of election, THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY ORDERING THE ELECTION, in public session, shall examine and canvass the returns and DECLARE THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION.” (Source: State Law) “Section 4-07. Utilities Department. THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY of the utilities department SHALL BE the Lafayette Public Utilities Authority (LPUA).” (Source: C/P Home Rule Charter) “Whether or not a voter representative was part of the LPUA or not…” Based on the above information, I believe it makes a huge legal difference how City voters are represented, who “orders” a City election, how City votes are “canvassed” (counted) and who “declares the results of a” City “election”. - andymhebert Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:57:09 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12770 Cox gave Tony's department free bidirectional communications to his trafic signals for FREE for 15 years, that why the % increase was so high - noname Sat, 27 Nov 2010 23:52:01 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12767 Tony forgot the part where TCA and later COX provided Traffic Engineering/Traffic Signals two communications channels and forward/reverse feeds to 180 traffic signal installations from 1985 to 2000 for FREE!!!! - Antonio tramelinsky Sat, 27 Nov 2010 21:56:19 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12760 Wait and see regarding newer services -- wasn't that the complaint about Cox .. that Cox wasn't investing in upgrading its services quick enough? All the best, Soop - Soop. Sat, 27 Nov 2010 08:16:51 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12751 And I am sure this was RFP'd right? I can't imagine you shared the COX quote with LUS and said "beat this." This was all arm's length fair competition, right? "The contract was set to expire in June, and Cox’s letter stated that the price for renewal was going up 46 times its current rate, from $6,000 a year to $281,232 a year. Tramel then contacted LUS Fiber and was able to negotiate a deal to get more than 10 times the bandwidth Cox offered for a lower price. Cox then countered with another offer that was still higher than LUS’ price of just over $125,000 a year. “LUS really stepped up to the plate,” Tramel says." - Hmmm Thu, 25 Nov 2010 22:38:15 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12737 The problem is, by the time LUS Fiber get the bugs worked out, technology is highly likely to change. It was a risk the taxpayers of Lafayette should not have taken. - Eat Prey Kill Wed, 24 Nov 2010 20:15:41 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12719 I'm a big supporter of the FTTH project and I have it at home, not without problems which were addressed quickly and professionally but not at work-not available somehow. I think the time is now for the real benefits of Fiber to start showing up on the street-faster TV? Duh? Phone-got tons of choices. and internet? for me the whole speed thing is overkill. I save about $10 a month for comparable services but I'm not seeing the WOW I expected. Those "head turning" apps? innovation? new? Cutting edge? I just don't see those things yet. Time to stop rolling out, gearing up, getting ready,proving concepts, working out kinks and start smoking that thing! - holeinthedonut8 Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:15:42 +0100 http://www.theind.com/cover-story/7339-market-share#comment-12707 I have LUS at my home and two of my offices. It has never been down. The installation was on time, the speed is fantastic, and the price is very reasonable. If you are thinking of installing fiber, the time is now. If you are unsure, go to a neighbor and look at their setup. One more thing, clean installation. I live in Lafayette because of the culture, but can operate a business in today's fast paced business climate leveraging the fiber. When LUS can install the fiber in a multi-tenant building, I am sure their market share will rise. Thanks Lafayette for embracing our culture. Thanks LUS for connecting us to the world. - Fiber Pro Wed, 24 Nov 2010 03:34:17 +0100