Solar to the extreme!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlTA3rnpgzU

Be nice to fix 2 major issues: affordable electricity and smoother roads to drive on.

This could never happen in the VI. WAPA is here to save the government money by allowing it to pass its electricity costs on to the ratepayers. Innovations like this will come here last after its super obvious to the rest of the world.

costs about 50% more to do those (at VERY generous estimates) not to mention the re-wire to take advantage of the channels it would create... though the extra drainage would REALLY be the winner here, IMO...

This could never happen in the VI. WAPA is here to save the government money by allowing it to pass its electricity costs on to the ratepayers. Innovations like this will come here last after its super obvious to the rest of the world.

OK, I have got to make a comment on this as it seems there may be some validity to this insanity, so.....what WAPA allows the government to do with the cost legal to the ratepayers? Has anyone researched their practices legally? I am sure there are some well healed retired attorneys with deep utility experience that can comment on this question.

Why do rate payers allow this? I have heard all of the "Good Ole Boy Club" comments and reasoning in the past. The PSC is NOT going to force their hand and the governor has zero money to pay them, so the conundrum....

I assume ratepayers have zero rights and this abuse just keeps on keeping on.......I have always believed a sale of WAPA and the hospitals, in time would reduce the overhead to US.........the victims.....

In years past, when I ask learned lawyers and CEO's of stateside utilities, they often are amazed the PSC is allowed to NOT enforce protection of the ratepayers.....i.e. lot's of questions is the normal response. It is a long process and very expensive to hold them accountable and frankly, few people in the VI care to make the effort......but then we are sitting back and letting Washington destroy America the Great! There are buyer's out there for both! The long term recapture would be a huge benefit to ALL Virgin Islanders. We will NEVER see any savings they are promoting.......kinda like the great things OCare promoted? Many lies and no one is held accountable. Washington believes the general voting public is deaf, dumb and blind, The VI government emulates Washington and their approach to the voter/ratepayer!

When will the People stop the nonsense here.......Peace!

The government would never allow WAPA to be sold to a private entity. And now, they've created another monopoly called viNGN to take control of internet access in the territory. One by one, each government agency who used to use BBVI, Choice or ICC will be connected to the GVI's viNGN network. Just wait and see how it turns out. Its happening now.

Check this out for STX!!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways

Ever wonder, if this technology is so viable why do the solicit donations?

Just sayin'

CD

The government would never allow WAPA to be sold to a private entity. And now, they've created another monopoly called viNGN to take control of internet access in the territory. One by one, each government agency who used to use BBVI, Choice or ICC will be connected to the GVI's viNGN network. Just wait and see how it turns out. Its happening now.

Granted, unless as part of a future settlement they are forced to relinquish control. But first, the long hard road to a favorable ruling is a dream!

The government would never allow WAPA to be sold to a private entity. And now, they've created another monopoly called viNGN to take control of internet access in the territory. One by one, each government agency who used to use BBVI, Choice or ICC will be connected to the GVI's viNGN network. Just wait and see how it turns out. Its happening now.

Granted, unless as part of a future settlement they are forced to relinquish control. But first, the long hard road to a favorable ruling is a dream!

viNGN can only offer services to ISP's, not government agencies... now they could very well be tapping the lines in a snowden-esk/ NSA style (and I'd be surprised if they aren't honestly) but hey.. it's a great fiber ring that SHOULD significantly bring prices down (not that they shouldn't already be down, ISP's run a VERY high profit business right now... the mark up is pretty extreme)

Be nice to fix 2 major issues: affordable electricity and smoother roads to drive on.

FYI
1. Guess who was the past Chairman of the Wapa board before he got elected, and on whose vision and policies of 2006 affected current t energy issues and cost?
2. Guess which (same) elected official improperly used road monies to enhance his private home instead of public road that you are crying about now?

Alana, the next time you drive through a pothole, remember that you voted for this. Next time you pay an electric bill remember his vision.

viNGN can only offer services to ISP's, not government agencies... now they could very well be tapping the lines in a snowden-esk/ NSA style (and I'd be surprised if they aren't honestly) but hey.. it's a great fiber ring that SHOULD significantly bring prices down (not that they shouldn't already be down, ISP's run a VERY high profit business right now... the mark up is pretty extreme)

And if ISPs aren't interested in using the viNGN services because they can connect to Global Crossing's infrastructure independently as they have been for years? Then what will viNGN do? Maybe its just BS, but I've been told that some GVI institutions have already been hooked up to viNGN as "anchor institutions". Is there a definition of an anchor institution? How many are allowed?

Personally, I couldn't care less really. But don't fool yourselves thinking that viNGN is going to save YOU any money. Its a scheme to pass on the GVI's massive internet access costs along to the citizens just like their WAPA bills. Most of you have lived here longer than me and should already know this.

viNGN can only offer services to ISP's, not government agencies... now they could very well be tapping the lines in a snowden-esk/ NSA style (and I'd be surprised if they aren't honestly) but hey.. it's a great fiber ring that SHOULD significantly bring prices down (not that they shouldn't already be down, ISP's run a VERY high profit business right now... the mark up is pretty extreme)

And if ISPs aren't interested in using the viNGN services because they can connect to Global Crossing's infrastructure independently as they have been for years? Then what will viNGN do? Maybe its just BS, but I've been told that some GVI institutions have already been hooked up to viNGN as "anchor institutions". Is there a definition of an anchor institution? How many are allowed?

Personally, I couldn't care less really. But don't fool yourselves thinking that viNGN is going to save YOU any money. Its a scheme to pass on the GVI's massive internet access costs along to the citizens just like their WAPA bills. Most of you have lived here longer than me and should already know this.

viNGN is an extension of the NGN initiative, it's a federal program not a VI program.

viNGN was funded primarily from a grant by the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) as part of a federal program to improve the broadband capacity in the United States, its territories, and the District of Columbia. The program is called the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

every ISP I've talked to except innovative is on board with NGN, their costs (to the ISP) are SO LOW it'd be ridiculous to NOT connect to them.

I don't know what an "anchor institution" even means, this is just a fast fiber network that runs all over the island, global crossing doesn't do that, and NGN does connect to global crossing, so I'm not sure what the issue is here.

this is just more "pork barrel" spending by the federal government, but I see some benefit to customers if competition between ISP's ensues... though most ISP's are run by morons down here with the exception of BBVI (and I've met the owners/directors of Innovative, Choice and BBVI personally through my work.)

basically this: NGN is just a ring of fiber run to allow consumers easy access to high speed internet that was funded by the federal government (which yes, by it's very source of funding it should be questioned... IMO...).

Has it saved you any money? Has it resulted in faster speeds? No & No. Will it? No. Nuff said.

Has it saved you any money? Has it resulted in faster speeds? No & No. Will it? No. Nuff said.

well, it's not really even "live" yet; I'm optimistic our internet speed/price structure is in the stone-age here, we can only go up.

that SHOULD significantly bring prices down (not that they shouldn't already be down, ISP's run a VERY high profit business right now... the mark up is pretty extreme)

That is not necessarily the case.
I don't believe Choice has ever made a profit.
viNGN's prices........don't believe the hype.

That is not necessarily the case.
I don't believe Choice has ever made a profit.
viNGN's prices........don't believe the hype.

they were so attractive that we almost became an ISP just to service ourselves, but then that's for large commercial level sites.. perhaps less so when residental is considered.

paying 100$ for 5mb (at peak times) a month is wearing thin on me, I'm just disgruntled.

Be nice to fix 2 major issues: affordable electricity and smoother roads to drive on.

FYI
1. Guess who was the past Chairman of the Wapa board before he got elected, and on whose vision and policies of 2006 affected current t energy issues and cost?
2. Guess which (same) elected official improperly used road monies to enhance his private home instead of public road that you are crying about now?

Alana, the next time you drive through a pothole, remember that you voted for this. Next time you pay an electric bill remember his vision.

All this crap has been going on for DECADES with permission from all the elected officials, past and present.
Am I disappointed in DeJongh? Of course. Would I have wanted Mapp, instead ? NO Freaking WAY!

If Mapp were elected, we WOULD be the Greece of the Caribbean instead of being ALMOST the Greece of the Caribbean.

Check this out for STX!!

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/solar-roadways

This looks like an awesome idea!

You all do know that HUGE land clearing behind Home Depot in tutu is all for solar right? My buddy Frank is a foreman there. Now will we see any reduction of cost... prob not because we allow crooks to be voted in.

If Mapp were elected, we WOULD be the Greece of the Caribbean instead of being ALMOST the Greece of the Caribbean.

We'll never know for sure, will we? But if predicting what would have happened if the one you voted for had not won and destroyed the VI economy as he did makes you sleep better at night, then by all means do it.

In other words, "DeJongh messed up the VI, but I feel less complicit in our destruction if I convince myself that it would have been worse if I voted for the other guy. Thank God for parallel universes."

N

Be nice to fix 2 major issues: affordable electricity and smoother roads to drive on.

FYI
1. Guess who was the past Chairman of the Wapa board before he got elected, and on whose vision and policies of 2006 affected current t energy issues and cost?
2. Guess which (same) elected official improperly used road monies to enhance his private home instead of public road that you are crying about now?

Alana, the next time you drive through a pothole, remember that you voted for this. Next time you pay an electric bill remember his vision.

All this crap has been going on for DECADES with permission from all the elected officials, past and present.
Am I disappointed in DeJongh? Of course. Would I have wanted Mapp, instead ? NO Freaking WAY!

1. Then be quiet and enjoy the potholes and your high electricity costs.
2. I have lived here since 1967. The roads have never been this bad. Thank God for the Triathlon or we would have No roads.
3. Who said anything about Mapp in this post? You were the one grumbling about DeJongh's roads and the electricity situation after his leadership at WAPA? Me thinks thou eatest crow? But if you must contrast Mapp against DeJongh whenever you open your light bill, I understand. Your hatred for Mapp and what "he would have done if elected" makes it easier to pay up and fall into the pothole.

Stop whining. Suck it up Alana. You brought this on yourself