Tag Archives: Economy

Coverage: T vs. VZ for 4G LTE

How does

AT&T’s new local 4G LTE coverage compare to Sprint’s?


AT&T coverage map
and still rolling more out, said
Tony Adams in the Ledger-Inquirer,

Update: AT&T adds cell sites outside Columbus, launches yearly smartphone upgrade plan July 26,

AT&T has 4G in the Columbus market, but not the faster LTE. A check
of the firm’s coverage map shows virtually every other major metro
area in Georgia with LTE, while many smaller communities in the
state also have the top-of-the-line service.

Elsas, in a statement, said the company uses HSPA+ technology
locally and those 4G speeds “are incredibly fast — up to
four times faster than 3G.” But she also acknowledged there is
work to be done on adding spectrum, or capacity, to the Columbus
network.


Verizon coverage map (top)
“As far as LTE, there is currently a lack of available
spectrum in Columbus, and we are working hard to address
this,” the statement said. “In the meantime,

Verizon coverage map (bottom)
we continue
to invest in technology, strengthen our network and seek
opportunities to offer the best wireless experience possible in the
region.”

“Possible” of course includes Continue reading →

AT&T 4G LTE now in Valdosta @ VLCIA 2013-07-16

Verizon won’t be the only 4G LTE access in Valdosta anymore:
AT&T has turned theirs on.
It’s not clear how far out of town that extends (looks to me
like I still need to go stand by my west gate if I want on),
but at least it’s a start of competition, and maybe T will
get around to increasing
its coverage (see next post).
If

Softbank + Sprint + Clearwire comes here, as well,
maybe we’ll see something like a competitive market.
It’s not clear even that will be enough to get fast affordable
access everywhere in south Georgia.
For that, maybe our local elected and appointed officials
will continue with

the advocacy they started back in February.


Andrea Schruijer and the AT&T 4G LTE PR
As mentioned at the Industrial Authority yesterday evening by
Executive Director Andrea Schruijer (video to come), here’s
AT&T’s PR of 2 July 2013,

AT&T 4G LTE Available In Valdosta:
Customers to benefit from nation’s fastest 4G LTE network on the latest devices,

VALDOSTA, Ga., July 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — AT&T* has turned on
the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network** in Valdosta, bringing
customers the latest generation of wireless network technology.
Watch here to see several of the benefits AT&T 4G LTE provides,
including:

  • Faster speeds. LTE technology is capable of delivering mobile
    Internet speeds up to 10 times faster than 3G***. Customers can
    stream, download, upload and game faster than ever before.
  • Cool new
    devices. AT&T offers several LTE-compatible devices, including new
    AT&T 4G LTE smartphones and tablets.
  • Faster response time. LTE
    technology offers lower latency, or the processing time it takes to
    move data through a network, such as how long it takes to start
    downloading a webpage or file once you’ve sent the request. Lower
    latency helps to improve services like mobile gaming, two-way video
    calling and telemedicine.
  • More efficient use of spectrum. Wireless
    spectrum is a finite resource, and LTE uses spectrum more
    efficiently than other technologies, creating more space to carry
    data traffic and services and to deliver a better network
    experience.

“Wireless infrastructure investment is critical to Georgia’s future
and I am very pleased to see AT&T investing in Valdosta and Lowndes
County and bringing LTE service to our community,” said Andrea
Schruijer, Executive Director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County
Industrial Authority. “Advanced technology like LTE will help
stimulate our economy and provide new tools and services that we
need to compete for business.”

“We continue Continue reading →

More solar at VLCIA tonight? @ VLCIA 2013-07-16

Will

the recent increase in solar requirements by GA PSC on Georgia Power
produce any more solar projects in Valdosta?
And what’s in the VLCIA annual report?
Maybe a list of jobs created?



Here’s
the agenda.

Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority

Agenda, Tuesday July 16, 2013 5:30 p.m.

Industrial Authority Conference Room

2110 N. Patterson Street

Continue reading →

China ends a nuclear treatment plant after demonstrations

“In order to respect the popular will, the government of” the city of Heshan
refused to proceed with a $9 billion uranium processing plant.
That happened after this, yesterday:




The cancellation, unusually fast, demonstrates the increasingly important attention
given by the authorities to environmental concerns that are often expressed at the local level.
Several projects of petrochemical plants and metal processing have recently been postponed or relocated.

Yes, I know the plant may just be relocated somewhere else.
But with enough such demonstrations it won’t be built.
How about some of this respect for the popular will about,
for example, the natural gas pipeline through Georgia from Alabama to Florida,
or the new nukes at Plant Vogtle?

Le Monde, today, Continue reading →

Millage rate to be set 8:30 AM 26 July 2013 @ LCC 2013-07-09

They approved setting millage rates 8:30 AM Friday 26 July 2013
that’s for the property taxes they collect,
at the

9 July 2013 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission.

7.

Reports-County Manager


County Manager Joe Pritchard on millage

County Manager Joe Pritchard reminded Commissioners they were required
to set a date to set tax millage.

Finance Director Stephanie Black said:


Finance Director Stephanie Black
You can have it as early as the
26th of July,
but it has to be done and ready for the tax commissioner by July 31st.

County Manager wanted to know if there would be a quorum present for
26 July 2013 at 8:30.
Chairman asked for a show of hands, and got two, which is not a quorum.
Commissioner Demarcus Marshall checked his calendar and said he could
also attend, and three is a quorum.
Commissioner John Page asked if this was the day they previously
had been advised in an email.
Answer: no, that was Thursday, and this date is a Friday.
County Manager also clarified that they couldn’t set their millage
until the School Board did.
Commissioner Marshall noted he had previously been told the 25th,
and once again staff admitted that was so.
Three days later, there is still nothing on

the county’s online calendar
for 26 July 2013.

Video is

here.

-jsq

Valdosta budget with goals and accomplishments for each department

It’s too bad nobody came to Valdosta’s two public budget hearings,
because the city prepared
183 slides with details for each
department, including goals and accomplishments.


On

the LAKE website is that presentation sent on request by City Clerk Teresa Bolden,
and
converted to HTML by LAKE.
Plus the actual budget.
No open records requests were required.
Oh, and Valdosta runs garbage collection on a balanced budget
without any exclusive franchises.

Valdosta News PR 20 June 2013,

City Delivers a Balanced Budget:
No property tax increase proposed for citizens,



The Valdosta City Council approved the fiscal year 2014 budget for
the City of Valdosta at the June 20 City Council meeting, after
having the opportunity to hear the proposed budget at the hearings
on June 11 and 12. City staff presented the council with a balanced
budget, as required by the City Charter, possibly one of the most
challenging and difficult budgets prepared in years.



City leaders decreased the overall city budget from $86.2 million to
$77.3 million, a result of Continue reading →

CALL TO ARMS –James Wright @ VCC 2013-07-11

Received a few minutes ago. -jsq

A call to arms, I wanted to share with you a e-mail I received from
Nolan Cox. I find his message offensive and seem as if he has a real


issue with low income residents. It would mean a lot if you can make
it to the Council meeting (5:30 p.m.) as I plan to address this
during Council Comments and hope that we can get input from the
community regarding this statement below. Your presence will help
us get the point across that our community mean something.

I have also included my response to Mr. Cox

Nolan Cox- Tea Party/Republican Party President

“As I listened to your discussion at the City Council work
session about the “need” to give away $800,000 of
taxpayer’s money through the Federal Home Loan Bank Program grant,
I was thinking that only about half of Americans pay federal income
taxes, and 43% of every federal dollar spent is borrowed, with the
interest on the nation’s $17 trillion debt soon to be larger than
the nation’s defense budget. Defense spending is a legitimate
constitutional function of the federal government, but repairing
houses, like most welfare giveaway programs, is not a legitimate Continue reading →

Solar may win today at the Georgia PSC

There’s still time to call in and make your voice heard,
(800) 282-5813.
The swing vote is
the Commissioner

for south Georgia, H. Doug Everett.
Solar power may win over Georgia Power today.



Greg Bluestein and Kristi E. Swartz wrote for the AJC yesterday,

Solar supporters see rare loss on horizon for Georgia Power,

If Georgia Power says it needs something, it usually gets it. Over
the years, state regulators have cleared the way for the utility to
land new power plants, more transmission lines and rate increases,
often without much heated debate.

Walter C. Jones
wrote for jacksonville.com yesterday,

PSC likely to require Georgia Power to double its reliance on solar power Thursday Continue reading →

Softbank buying Sprint buying Clearwire for better Internet

About nine months ago

Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son said he wanted to buy Sprint


because he was tired of poor U.S. Internet service.
The FCC has approved that merger.
And Clearwire shareholders have approved Sprint buying Clearwire,
which will provide more spectrum for Sprint to work with.
Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T competing in 4G LTE or faster
wireless Internet services would almost be like a real market!
Today’s the day.



Jordan Crook wrote vfor TechCrunch Monday,

After 9 Months, The Softbank-Sprint Merger Will Be A Done Deal On July 10,

“SoftBank Corp. will invest approximately USD 21.6 billion
(approximately JPY 1.8 trillion*) in Sprint Nextel Corporation and
currently anticipates consummating the transaction on July 10, 2013
(EDT).”

Continue reading →

F is for solar in Georgia, #45 in 2013 state solar power rankings

F for all three main Southern Company states:
Georgia,
Alabama,
and
Mississippi.
Florida manages a B for rank #23, presumably because
SO only covers part of the panhandle.


Coincidence?
While

SO’s tiger team studies someday maybe doing something about distributed solar,
the

Georgia Public Service Commission could double solar requirements
on Georgia Power this week.

You can clearly see those three SO states
on this

map by GigaOm:


Solar Power Rocks.com asked 19 June 2013 in

2013 State Solar Power Rankings,

“How do we recognize and reward legislatures for admirable solar energy policy while holding them accountable to do better?” Continue reading →