Internet Access in L.A.
* Re “Internet Access Feud Leads 3rd Panelist to Quit,” June 19: I’m impressed! Three of the five members of Mayor Richard Riordan’s Information Technology Commission had the courage to resign rather than submit to pressure from Riordan to grant the likes of AT&T; monopolistic control of high-speed Internet access in L.A.
Anyone who has dealt with cable TV’s poor service, arrogant attitudes, incontestable price hikes and lack of programming choices must be outraged with the thought of being denied competitive options for fast, reliable, affordable Internet and World Wide Web access.
I’m afraid that the majority of the general public still does not realize the importance and inevitable prevalence of the Internet in our daily lives. In just a few years, when we’re all using an Internet connection for bill paying and banking, paying our taxes, ordering groceries, conducting business, communicating with family, downloading music, watching movies on demand and most probably electing our government and voting on issues, we are certainly going to want more than one faceless corporation controlling and pricing our pipeline to Internet access.
FRANKLIN ODEL
Digital Media Instructor
Otis College of Art and Design
Los Angeles
* For Mayor Riordan and other AT&T; spokesmen to oppose open access by arguing that the Internet has flourished because it has been unregulated is pure doublespeak. What they want is the worst sort of “regulation,” regulation by a private monopoly with no public accountability.
The Internet has flourished as a vehicle for freedom and democracy thus far because monopolists like Microsoft and AT&T; have been unable to control access and thereby reap the excessive profits that flow from the absence of a competitive market.
What ordinary people care about is the ability to choose whatever Internet service provider gives them the easiest access to whatever information most interests them and at an affordable price. This is one of those times when a free competitive market and democratic personal liberty really do happen to coincide. Nobody is going to be fooled by our mayor’s crony capitalism on this one.
WILLIAM PIETZ
Los Angeles
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