When Qwest wouldn't provide broadband service to a rural Colorado community, they set up a cooperative and did it themselves.

For years I've heard stories like this, but it never makes any real impact (perhaps one day...)

The telco's are doing what they can to keep people from realizing how simple broadband can be. Which is why years ago they lobbied to remove bare twisted pair - no signal of any kind, perfect for dsl - from the list of services the government agreed they could sell. Some states caught them and successfully counter lobbied. Colorado, the home of Boardwatch magazine (which I don't get since the founder left) was one of those states (which I believe is why you see mention of CO in the article.) See old issues of Boardwatch for details...

The problem is data (including voice) really doesn't cost as much as we pay for it. In a free market the telco's lose, so they don't want a free market. It's a disgrace.

Terrible how such an upbeat story can turn out to be so depressing in the details...