I've typically steered clear of digital communications policy issues, which always lead down dark, twisted passages of bandwidth carving and zoning, but the deference of public benefit to corporate profit is getting to be outrageous. Philadelphia recently announced a plan to provide citywide broadband access, and the plan is under attack, and won't happen if profiteers get their way. At issue is the fact that bandwidth is a public property, but it's being leased as if it's private.

If this passes, people who can't afford internet access will still be prohibited, and the corrupt, price-fixing cable companies and dsl providers will still be the only choice that people willing to pay will have to go to. This stagnates economic and educational growth and robs the internet of its power to reach people all so one private company can make profit.
Something has to be done about these corporate criminals.

Translation: cities and towns can't provide for-fee broadband (like a Wi-Fi hotzone) if it competes with a company already providing a similar service (even wired services like DSL or cable modems).
The bill would replace the state's ten year old telecom bill, which expired last year. Each bill defined the rules of how telecom providers can compete. House Bill 30 includes a number of other items, such as benefits to education and to rural areas through funds created by telecom companies, and a requirement of high-speed Internet access for everyone in the state by 2008.