Sandwich Isles Communications and Gold Ivory LLC filed a lawsuit against NECA on December 30th, 2010. Both Sandwich Isles and Gold Ivory claim recent NECA decisions and interference harmed their businesses.
Sandwich Isles/Gold Ivory’s Complaint Against NECA
NECA filed a reply motion on March 24, 2011 urging the court to dismiss this lawsuit.
The FCC recently ordered NECA to cover 50% of Paniolo Cable Company’s lease costs. However, Sandwich Isles petitioned the FCC to review their September 29,2010 order. Nevertheless, AT&T filed a motion urging the FCC to reject Sandwich Isles petition.
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March 30th, 2011 at 10:18 AM
I admit to being lost on this topic. What’s the beef? Background? I care because…? I’m all confused. Is it adding competition in cable market? For phones? Data? Clicked several links but you lost me. (I’m often lost. Don’t feel bad. In fact, if you find me, call my mom.)
March 30th, 2011 at 6:01 PM
This article may provide some insight on this issue.
I’ve been fighting their plans for the last 10 years. It isn’t fair that DHHL lands get wired with fiber-optic cables while non-DHHL areas are still serviced by aging copper loops.
August 4th, 2011 at 8:07 PM
Why is everyone hating on Sandwich Isles? because their subsidies are so high? Ask yourself why are they so high? Because the subsidies is based on a percentage of the construction costs to build their system. So blame the overpaid construction unions. I am not trying to discredit the construction industry, but the cost of construction in Hawaii is about ten times higher then the rest of the US.
August 4th, 2011 at 8:17 PM
Please read this article about Sandwich Isles Communications. SIC is receiving these subsidies because they are politically connected, not because of high construction costs.
August 6th, 2011 at 4:20 PM
Fiber is the way of the future. why would they put copper in? they’d have to replace it in a few years to keep up with bandwidth demands.
September 27th, 2011 at 3:11 PM
Aaron, how does these Political connections determine the Subsidy? Are the NECA subsidies determined by SIC’s political Connections? If so then i would tend to support your belief about SIC.My own opinion is that Sandwich Isles offers a great service to these newly developed Subdivisions. In most developments the infrastructure cost are absorbed by the homeowners who purchase these homes. This allows DHHL lease holders at least a small reduction in the cost of these homes by having Sandwich Isles Communications cover the cost of their own infrastructure.Above you stated that it is not fair for DHHL to have this type of service with the competition stuck with the aging copper service.
Hawaiian Tel is in the process of upgrading their infrastructure to provide TV. They will have a better product when completed. If Hawtel’s newly upgraded systems becomes better than Sandwich Isles will your position on SIC change? I really don’t want to get into the debate about it being unfair that DHHL has a better infrastructure than the competition, But the DHHL lease holders are such because of their ancestry. Was it fair when then Queen was overthrown? and the same Government that is Funding Sandwich Isles is the same Government that ILLEGALLY imprisoned the queen and took the land. Or does your opinion about Sandwich Isles go deeper than just giving the Hawaiian Homesteaders a quality product?
NECA is the Government entity that approves the subsidies and not the political connections that SIC has.
Looking forward to your response, Aloha
October 1st, 2011 at 12:06 PM
The RUS which funds SIC projects will not allow them to build with copper. The future is fiber and I think your beef is with HawTel and why they don’t upgrade. The silent bad guy in this Oceanic Time Warner, They are allowed to produce the same service but not governed to follow PUC rules. So they get everyone over to buy there service while HawTel is left with a depleting market.