From: norm@netcom.com (Norman Hardy)
Date: Wed, 17 Nov 93 13:01:17 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Should we oppose the Data Superhighway/NII?
Message-ID: <199311172059.MAA18783@mail.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
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de Sola Pool's book 'Technologies of Freedom' gives an excellent
description of issues of monoloplies and their motivations.
He describes a scheme that I think was adopted in Boston.
The scheme was to grant a cable monolopy but require the
cable owner to lease half of the cable capacity to a
competitor at some prespecified price. There was thus
competition between suppliers of programs.
The arguments for a natural monopoly were accommodated
(Space on the phone pole, cost of laying cable)
and yet competition was achieved.
 
That was one of the few books that I have read that actually
changed some of my opinions on economics.
The author described why rational, non corrupt regulators
might grant such a monopoly. He did not imply that such monopolies
were not corrupt.