[1st-mile-nm] UTOPIA Article

[Richard Lowenberg]

Utah's 'open service provider' fiber network, UTOPIA, has been the subject
of numerous (biased vested-interest) position papers and articles of late,
as it goes through some restructuring and growing pains.   Pro-incumbent
parties are opposed to UTOPIA.   The following article, though biased in
favor of UTOPIA, provides a fairly good update on the project.
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www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_7890855#

UTOPIA detractors don't see the big picture

By Warren Woodward
Salt Lake Tribune
01/05/2008

In nearly 15 years of being an Internet service provider in Utah, we at
XMission have never seen a level of excitement among our subscribers like
that generated by the UTOPIA fiber-to-the-home project.
    This is a groundbreaking effort we are tremendously excited to be a
part of, and we are intensely proud of Utah for growing it right here in
our own backyard.

    Early in UTOPIA's existence, it was decided that in order to maximize
fairness among service providers, advertising should be limited to only
those specific homes and businesses where UTOPIA was available.
    The unfortunate side effect of this strategy is that because
advertising and education was isolated to these spotty areas, wider public
knowledge of the project suffered. We find that, despite the excitement of
some subscribers, the vast majority of the Utah public has no idea what
UTOPIA is and how it can benefit our state.
    This, sadly, left Utah vulnerable to the hyperbole of the many UTOPIA
detractors, a trap The Tribune itself has fallen into this week with both
its news article ("UTOPIA: Could high-speed fiber optic end up
cyber-paradise lost?" Dec. 30), and an editorial ("Utopian nightmare,"
Jan. 3).

    To clear some misunderstandings, UTOPIA is not in direct competition
with existing telecommunication providers, not any more than the Salt Lake
International Airport is in competition with Delta or Southwest. It is
infrastructure only, and any business capable of offering service over
fiber is encouraged to do so.
    Second, it is equally vital that people understand what exactly UTOPIA
provides this community. Detractors who say that "no one needs fiber"
don't see the big picture. This isn't just an amazing access network for
today's public, it's a "future-proof" network that will support the
telecommunication needs of Utah for decades to come, long after the
existing switched-copper network has crumbled into obsolescence.
    The only question remaining is: How can we replace our copper with
fiber? UTOPIA's solution to this is unique and visionary, and, despite
stumbles, it's working.

    Some people seem to think that incumbents will eventually build this
network themselves. By this reasoning, they would believe that GM or Ford
would eventually have built Interstate 80. Does anyone really believe the
interstate highway system would have been built by private enterprise with
a profit margin in mind? It has never turned a penny in profit, but surely
everyone recognizes its economic necessity. This is the exact same issue.
    Contrary to claims, there is no existing business plan that will bring
ubiquitous fiber to this state, and by the time one arrives, the financial
reality of our population density dictates that Utah will be long behind
the curve. Instead, UTOPIA puts us on the forefront of the new century of
communications. Which position is better for Utah?

    Perhaps UTOPIA's most significant mistake was its failure to
adequately predict the severity of illegal opposition from incumbents, a
sad necessity in a corporate age more prone to litigation than service. It
is very important that the people of Utah understand that the delays in
UTOPIA have been largely the effect of extensive legal obstructions by
incumbents.
    While these maneuvers ultimately failed, they did succeed in causing
lengthy and costly delays.

    Make no mistake, where available, UTOPIA is operating as promised. Our
UTOPIA subscribers are already getting speeds 10 times faster than most
cable modem users for less money.
    People who call this superfluous today are ignoring the reality: It
will be necessary tomorrow, and there is no plan outside of UTOPIA to
bring it to Utah. Utah needs UTOPIA, and XMission is proud to be part of
it.

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    * WARREN WOODWARD has managed broadband service at XMission for eight
years, including UTOPIA service operations for the past three.


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Richard Lowenberg
P.O.Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-989-9110,  505-603-5200 cell

1st-Mile Institute
New Mexico Broadband Initiative
www.1st-mile.com
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