Comments on: iProvo Sale and RFP http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/ Fast Forward the Future Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:39:03 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mr. T http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39404 Mr. T Tue, 03 Jun 2008 21:03:31 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39404 Want further proof of Mayor Billings making back room deals? Read the Daily Herald today (6/3). The city tried to sell a parking lot in downtown Provo to someone but also got caught without posting an RFP as the city laws state they should have. Seems there is a pattern to how the Mayor handles sales when he wants them to go a certain direction - just avoid making it public. Someone should investigate that office to see what else he has conveniently sold without the proper RFP. There are likely other deals we don't know about. Want further proof of Mayor Billings making back room deals? Read the Daily Herald today (6/3). The city tried to sell a parking lot in downtown Provo to someone but also got caught without posting an RFP as the city laws state they should have. Seems there is a pattern to how the Mayor handles sales when he wants them to go a certain direction – just avoid making it public. Someone should investigate that office to see what else he has conveniently sold without the proper RFP. There are likely other deals we don’t know about.

]]> By: Mike Taylor http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39401 Mike Taylor Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:44:40 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39401 muniwatcher, you don't know what you are talking about. Ashdown is saying that any number of companies might have put together a proposal to buy if they knew there was a plan to sell, instead, officials insisted the city was moving forward with plans to change wholesale pricing and then allow companies like XMission to jump on board as service providers on the open network. In addition, MStar reportedly made a proposal to lease the network as the wholesale provider and even had potential financing lined up but was turned down in part because the city was concerned it wouldn't maintain the open nature of the network (according to <a href="http://www.freeutopia.org/2008/05/28/notes-from-the-iprovo-hearing/" rel="nofollow">this</a>), and then Provo went ahead and made a deal with Broadweave. If it's true, it's incredibly ironic. As far as the difference between the Utopia/XMission relationship and the first Provo provider, there is a huge difference because UTOPIA will allow any company that has met certain requirements to join as a provider. Provo has not allowed that after all these years. The RFP looked like they were finally going to allow it, but it turns out that was just a sham to sell the network in a backroom deal. muniwatcher, you don’t know what you are talking about. Ashdown is saying that any number of companies might have put together a proposal to buy if they knew there was a plan to sell, instead, officials insisted the city was moving forward with plans to change wholesale pricing and then allow companies like XMission to jump on board as service providers on the open network.

In addition, MStar reportedly made a proposal to lease the network as the wholesale provider and even had potential financing lined up but was turned down in part because the city was concerned it wouldn’t maintain the open nature of the network (according to this), and then Provo went ahead and made a deal with Broadweave. If it’s true, it’s incredibly ironic.

As far as the difference between the Utopia/XMission relationship and the first Provo provider, there is a huge difference because UTOPIA will allow any company that has met certain requirements to join as a provider. Provo has not allowed that after all these years. The RFP looked like they were finally going to allow it, but it turns out that was just a sham to sell the network in a backroom deal.

]]> By: muniwatcher http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39400 muniwatcher Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:26:26 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39400 So the "disasterous" relationship with the first service provider was toooooootally different than say UTOPIA's relationship with xmission. Open Access doesn't work, you should have launched your own proposal to put financing together to buy the network. LOL So the “disasterous” relationship with the first service provider was toooooootally different than say UTOPIA’s relationship with xmission. Open Access doesn’t work, you should have launched your own proposal to put financing together to buy the network.
LOL

]]> By: D King http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39373 D King Wed, 28 May 2008 22:33:57 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39373 As a Provo resident and an XMission customer, it is very disappointing that I must choose between the best ISP in Utah (XMission) and fiber. I have waited and waited for XMission to be allowed to be a provider in this supposedly open network. However, it appears that we have been lied to and now it's never going to happen. As a Provo resident and an XMission customer, it is very disappointing that I must choose between the best ISP in Utah (XMission) and fiber. I have waited and waited for XMission to be allowed to be a provider in this supposedly open network. However, it appears that we have been lied to and now it’s never going to happen.

]]> By: u235sentinel http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39327 u235sentinel Thu, 15 May 2008 03:12:30 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39327 It's unfortunate that as a Nation we haven't figured out how important it is to have a fiber infrastructure. Our economy has dropped to number 2 in the world and we're struggling in a recession among other financial problems. Other countries are prospering and a small part of it I believe is because they have the forsight to build an infrastructure which encourages growth in the Information Age. There are some options coming along. Qwest has now stated they are rolling fiber in the Salt Lake Valley. I can only hope they will run it like infrastructure rather than lock out competition (like Comcast has). Utopia is very promising but only if they can get past the financial hurdles and get the word out. I'm hoping once Mr. Chris Hogan works out a few things that we could help move them in a positive way (I've already been in contact with him so crossing my fingers). In a nutshell, I believe our country can't succeed unless we begin somewhere to catch up with the rest of the world. We certainly won't get back to the number 1 economy unless we try. I just wish I understood why these people are having such a hard time understanding the need for infrastructure. It’s unfortunate that as a Nation we haven’t figured out how important it is to have a fiber infrastructure.

Our economy has dropped to number 2 in the world and we’re struggling in a recession among other financial problems. Other countries are prospering and a small part of it I believe is because they have the forsight to build an infrastructure which encourages growth in the Information Age.

There are some options coming along. Qwest has now stated they are rolling fiber in the Salt Lake Valley. I can only hope they will run it like infrastructure rather than lock out competition (like Comcast has).

Utopia is very promising but only if they can get past the financial hurdles and get the word out. I’m hoping once Mr. Chris Hogan works out a few things that we could help move them in a positive way (I’ve already been in contact with him so crossing my fingers).

In a nutshell, I believe our country can’t succeed unless we begin somewhere to catch up with the rest of the world. We certainly won’t get back to the number 1 economy unless we try.

I just wish I understood why these people are having such a hard time understanding the need for infrastructure.

]]> By: Robert Dobson http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39303 Robert Dobson Thu, 08 May 2008 19:34:55 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39303 You are so right about this Mr. Ashdown. I know that Provo officials were actually surprised when proposals turned up to purchase the network which was not their intent when it was issued. How do you open an RFP and leave it open indefinitely? At what point in time do you do the "apples to apples" comparison and pick a winner? Perhaps it would be when you have had time to share all the earlier proposals with your backroom buddies and then help them craft a winning proposal? This is clearly a blatant disregard for lawful and open public policy. Please, please, challenge this legally. You will win hands down or more likely be offered a nice piece of the pie to go away and be quiet. You are so right about this Mr. Ashdown. I know that Provo officials were actually surprised when proposals turned up to purchase the network which was not their intent when it was issued. How do you open an RFP and leave it open indefinitely? At what point in time do you do the “apples to apples” comparison and pick a winner? Perhaps it would be when you have had time to share all the earlier proposals with your backroom buddies and then help them craft a winning proposal? This is clearly a blatant disregard for lawful and open public policy. Please, please, challenge this legally. You will win hands down or more likely be offered a nice piece of the pie to go away and be quiet.

]]> By: Mr. T http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39302 Mr. T Thu, 08 May 2008 16:04:24 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39302 Go Pete go! I'm glad someone has what it takes to stand up to Provo and the mayor. What a slime bucket. Here is what I predict. Billings is positioning himself for a job after he is done being mayor. I'll bet part of the deal (that the city council doesn't know about) is if he sold it to Broadweave Mayor Billings gets an executive position at Broadweave after he is done serving. Only time will tell. Go Pete go! I’m glad someone has what it takes to stand up to Provo and the mayor. What a slime bucket. Here is what I predict. Billings is positioning himself for a job after he is done being mayor. I’ll bet part of the deal (that the city council doesn’t know about) is if he sold it to Broadweave Mayor Billings gets an executive position at Broadweave after he is done serving. Only time will tell.

]]> By: Mike Taylor http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39300 Mike Taylor Thu, 08 May 2008 07:06:37 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39300 I have some questions to ask Provo officials. First, after working so hard and sacrificing so much to pioneer something new, are you willing to throw it all away and loose many of the originally sought benefits? Didn't you create your own network because the telecom incumbents weren't taking the initiative to do it themselves? Didn't you decide back then that the lack of a truly free market in telecom was what caused poor service offerings in your city in the first place? Are you willing to sacrifice those principles just to get rid of the network? If the answer is yes, then I have one more simple question for you... Why doesn't the city put an open invitation for any company to purchase the network? Wouldn't the public and city interests both be best served by an open invitation for buyout bids? Are you afraid that some other company would come in with a better offer than Broadweave? Wouldn't that be better for the city? As it stands, the current proposal reeks of a back-room deal that doesn't serve the best interests of the city. I have some questions to ask Provo officials. First, after working so hard and sacrificing so much to pioneer something new, are you willing to throw it all away and loose many of the originally sought benefits? Didn’t you create your own network because the telecom incumbents weren’t taking the initiative to do it themselves? Didn’t you decide back then that the lack of a truly free market in telecom was what caused poor service offerings in your city in the first place? Are you willing to sacrifice those principles just to get rid of the network? If the answer is yes, then I have one more simple question for you…

Why doesn’t the city put an open invitation for any company to purchase the network? Wouldn’t the public and city interests both be best served by an open invitation for buyout bids? Are you afraid that some other company would come in with a better offer than Broadweave? Wouldn’t that be better for the city?

As it stands, the current proposal reeks of a back-room deal that doesn’t serve the best interests of the city.

]]> By: Mark Towner http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39298 Mark Towner Thu, 08 May 2008 03:35:40 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39298 I know a good attorney that will stop this in their conflicted tracks. This sale needs to be open to everyone, not a bunch of Republican business insiders. I know a good attorney that will stop this in their conflicted tracks. This sale needs to be open to everyone, not a bunch of Republican business insiders.

]]> By: Tom http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/comment-page-1/#comment-39297 Tom Thu, 08 May 2008 03:24:32 +0000 http://peteashdown.org/journal/2008/05/07/iprovo-sale-and-rfp/#comment-39297 Sounds like a mess. As a Provo resident, I'd like to see more transparency here. Sounds like a mess. As a Provo resident, I’d like to see more transparency here.

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