Vince Vasquez, senior policy analyst with the San Diego Institute for Policy Research, finds the trend toward municipalities' anchor tenancy ironic. "Lost in this debate are the reasons government said we needed government-provided access--to get access for the poor," he noted.
Municipal wireless bids, Vasquez said, are in reality attempts by private-sector actors to secure exclusive access to municipal right-of-way. In essence, Vasquez said, cities are recreating the same regulated infrastructure monopolies set up in the past for incumbent telephone and cable companies.
