Getting Local Favors

Members of the ISP-Wireless list discuss whether local businesses like yourself can get discounts that are not available to larger companies, or whether the law prohibits such discounts.

[September 14, 2000]

On the ISP-Wireless list in August, MB asked,

"My village is considering charging me much less than the big guys for tower rental space. If any of the bigger companies wanted to argue this point, could they win? In court?"

A number of respondents felt that favoring local business is perfectly legitimate:

[DS noted] "I was in the Indiana University school of business in 88-91. We international students had to pay more for tuition, about double, because we were not citizens and did not pay taxes (so we were told). Get my point?"

[JD added] "Since you're a local company you can have certain benefits, like getting cheaper tower space. You pay taxes and are a local resident, so costs should be cheaper. Now, if you're talking about local competition, then they should have the same treatment you get, or there might be trouble."

Others suggested that MB might consider ingratiating himself in other ways:

[RD offered] "You might also tell them that, besides being a local taxpayer and citizen, you are a 'small business' and you are helping to overcome the 'digital divide' and any other political buzz words you can think of. And offer to install a high speed wireless link at the local library or something."

[RY added] "Provide the village with wireless access and give them free service that equals the difference between what you pay for the tower and what they would charge the bigger companies. If they charge the big guys $1000 a month and you pay $200 a month but provide free service equal to $800 a month, then it should be no problem."

BP noted that the number of factors involved indicates that MB's more than likely to get away with it:

"I've been on both sides of this issue. It comes down to how the town wrote their code relating to telecommunications. I have seen many sites, both public and private, that have different rates based on differing uses or, more commonly, amount and type of equipment-without any sort of reprisal."

—End