Lenovo K6 Power vs. Redmi 3S Prime: Picking the best entry-level phone in India

There isn’t a whole lot that separates two of the best entry-level phones available today.
The Lenovo K6 Power and Xiaomi Redmi 3S Prime are two of the most sought-after devices in the entry-level segment right now. Both are sold for under ₹10,000, and offer compelling hardware for the asking price.
Although there are hundreds of phones available in this space, most aren’t worth your time as they miss out on basic hardware features or run outdated software. That isn’t the case with the K6 Power or the Redmi 3S Prime. If you’re in the market for an entry-level handset and are unsure as to which one to get, read on.
Hardware

The K6 Power and Redmi 3S Prime share a lot of similarities — both in terms of the design and the internal hardware. Both phones sport a metallic chassis and feature a fingerprint sensor at the back. They are also powered by the Snapdragon 430 SoC, offer a 5-inch display, 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage.
Both have 13MP rear cameras, and the Redmi 3S Prime has a slender lead when it comes to battery capacity — 4100mAh versus 4000mAh for the K6 Power. However, the K6 Power has a 5.0-inch Full HD panel, whereas the Redmi 3S sports a 5.0-inch 720p display.
There are three subtle differences when it comes to the design: the camera isn’t aligned with the fingerprint sensor on the Redmi 3S Prime, and the K6 Power has the charging port at the top. The K6 Power’s notification LED is at the top, whereas the Redmi 3S Prime has it at the bottom of the display. Otherwise, you’re looking at two near-identical phones. They even come in the same color options: silver, dark grey, and gold.
Both phones have capable fingerprint sensors, and the overall fit and finish is remarkable given the price segment they’re targeting. You won’t have any issues using either phone one-handed thanks to the compact size, but the Redmi 3S edges slightly ahead thanks to its thinner 8.5mm frame over the 9.3mm profile of the K6 Power.
The Redmi 3S Prime has an added feature in the form of an IR blaster. Xiaomi is one of very few vendors that still offers the feature, and when paired to the excellent Mi Remote, it lets you control TVs, home audio systems, air conditioners, and set-top boxes of all major brands sold in the country.
| Operating System | Vibe Pure UI based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow | MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow |
| Display | 5-inch 1080p (1920×1080) IPS LCD panel 441ppi pixel density | 5-inch 720p (1280×720) IPS LCD panel 294ppi pixel density |
| SoC | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Eight Cortex A53 cores at 1.4GHz 28nm | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 Eight Cortex A53 cores at 1.4GHz 28nm |
| GPU | Adreno 505 | Adreno 505 |
| RAM | 3GB RAM | 3GB RAM |
| Storage | 32GB storage microSD slot up to 256GB | 32GB storage microSD slot up to 256GB |
| Rear camera | 13MP LED flash PDAF | 13MP LED flash PDAF |
| Front shooter | 8MP 1080p video recording | 5MP 1080p video recording |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.2 (A2DP), GPS,microUSB, 3.5mm audio jack | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 (A2DP), GPS,microUSB, 3.5mm audio jack |
| Battery | 4000mAh battery | 4100mAh battery with fast charging |
| Fingerprint | Rear fingerprint sensor | Rear fingerprint sensor |
| Dimensions | 141.9 x 70.3 x 9.3 mm | 139.3 x 69.6 x 8.5 mm |
| Weight | 145g | 144g |
| Colors | Silver, Gold, Dark Grey | Silver, Gold, Dark Grey |
The display on the K6 Power is great, offering saturated colors and excellent viewing angles. There isn’t a lot of customizability when it comes to tweaking the color settings, and in that regard, the Redmi 3S Prime wins out. The panel on the Redmi 3S is also quite decent in spite of it sporting a lesser resolution, but you get more options. MIUI lets you alter the color temperature, and there’s a built-in blue light filter.
The K6 Power has a denser display, and great stereo speakers.
On the audio side of things, the K6 Power takes the lead thanks to its excellent stereo speakers. Although they’re located at the back, they still manage to produce enough sound to fill a small room. The Redmi 3S also has a speaker located at the back, and while it’s decent, it doesn’t get as loud as the K6 Power. If your main use case involves watching a lot of videos, then the K6 Power is the better device thanks to the stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos tweaks.
- Read more: Lenovo K6 Power review
- Read more: Xiaomi Redmi 3S Prime review
When it comes to everyday usage, you’re not going to see any difference between two phones seeing as how they run the same internal hardware. Both phones run lag-free, and the 3GB of RAM makes a lot of difference when it comes to multitasking. While they handle tasks like browsing and social media with aplomb, they aren’t designed to tackle intensive video games. You can still play most major titles, but you’ll see the occasional stutter.
Battery life

Battery life is increasingly becoming the primary consideration when buying a new phone in India. With a majority of people relying on their phones as the sole gateway to the internet, it isn’t hard to see why. That’s why manufacturers have also started focusing on improving battery life by adding larger batteries. The same holds true for both the K6 Power and the Redmi 3S Prime. If you want great battery life, these are the phones to consider.
The K6 Power has a 4000mAh battery that ensures the phone lasts a day even if you stream movies and videos all day. With medium usage, the battery life goes up to two days without breaking a sweat. Then there’s the Redmi 3S Prime, arguably the best phone to get if all you want is stellar battery life. Thanks to its 4100mAh battery, the phone lasts two days at a minimum. You’ll easily be able to eke out seven or eight hours of screen-on-time consistently.

Software
The software is where things get interesting for both phones. While there isn’t a lot to differentiate the phones when it comes to the hardware, they offer vastly varying software experiences. Lenovo has tried to cut back on overt customization with its Vibe UI skin, and as a result its interface is cleaner and less cluttered. Meanwhile, the Redmi 3S Prime runs MIUI 8, which is one of the most feature-rich ROMs available today.
Lenovo’s Vibe UI is uncluttered, whereas MIUI 8 doubles down on features.
MIUI lets you customize every facet of the interface, but at times it does feel bloated. At least with MIUI 8, Xiaomi fixed several issues with memory management (it isn’t as aggressive now), and the overall design has picked up much-needed flair in the form of solid colors interspersed throughout the UI. But there are other issues. There isn’t an app drawer — Vibe UI offers it — and you’re going to need a manual to navigate the settings. MIUI is catered to power users, and as such it has a learning curve.

There are a few features that are common on both phones, such as dual apps — through which you can two two instances of the same app — and the ability to lock apps with a password. There are minor changes in the implementation, but the overall functionality is the same.
That said, neither handset is great at receiving software updates. In January 2017, the K6 Power is still on the June security patch, while the Redmi 3S is on the August update. There’s no mention of when the Nougat update will be available, but it doesn’t look like it will be rolling out soon.
Camera

One of the main drawbacks in budget phones available today is camera quality. Essentially, photos taken from either the Redmi 3S or the K6 Power are adequate for sharing on social platforms — which should be more than enough for a majority of the userbase interested in either handset. But to get a decent photo, you’ll have to put in some work. Taking great images effortlessly is still limited to the likes of the Pixel and the S7 edge.
The Redmi 3S Prime has the better camera, but only marginally.
Neither handset is great at dialing in on a subject quickly, but the Redmi 3S takes longer. You get the ability to toggle HDR on the Redmi 3S, and doing so leads to better detail in the final photos. However, it takes more effort to shoot in HDR. Images from the Redmi 3S had more true-to-life colors, and there’s more detail as well. That said, both phones struggled to take decent shots in low-light conditions.
The K6 Power’s camera app is easier to use, and it offers a variety of shooting modes, including a manual mode that lets you tweak the white balance, exposure, and ISO settings. The Redmi 3S also has a feature-rich camera, and the ability to select between various scenes. It also has a Beautify filter, which as the name suggests removes blemishes and generally improves the quality of your portraits.


K6 Power on the left, Redmi 3S Prime on the right.








Which should you buy? It’s up to you

It’s incredibly hard to pick a winner between the two handsets. The denser panel on the K6 Power makes for a great multimedia experience — especially when coupled with the stereo speakers. The displays on both phones are great, but if you’re primarily looking to consume multimedia, the K6 Power edges the Redmi 3S Prime out.
See at Flipkart
However, if battery life is your main consideration, then the Redmi 3S Prime is the phone to get. In all the phones I used last year, there wasn’t one that came close to the battery life of the Redmi 3S Prime. MIUI’s aggressive memory management combined with a huge battery means you’ll easily get two days of battery even if you’re a heavy user.
See at Flipkart
Both phones see a huge demand, so you’ll have to wait until the next flash sale to buy either one. Irrespective of whatever phone you pick up, you’re getting great value for your money.
The creator of Android is creating his own high-end smartphone
Andy Rubin is the man responsible for Android, the world’s most used mobile operating system. He sold it to Google in 2005 and then left the company in 2014, but is now planning a comeback to the smartphone industry with his own company and a high-end smartphone.
His new company name is Essential Products Inc and in 2016 it registered Essential with the US Patent and Trademarking Office (USPTO). Rubin mentioned smartphones, tablets, accessories and computer software for mobile phones under its goods and services. That last bit suggests Essential will develop a new mobile operating system rather than use Android, although it could just create a skin to run over the top of Android.
Sources speaking to Bloomberg added that the phone is also expected to feature an edge-to-edge screen larger than 5.5-inches, but be smaller than the iPhone 7 Plus because of the super slim bezels. The screen could also respond to different levels of pressure, similar to Force Touch on the iPhone, and the overall build will be of high quality, using metal for the edges and ceramic for the rear.
It’s also claimed the Essential smartphone will have a bespoke connector that would not only be used to charge the battery, but also for what sounds like modules. It’s understood that Essential itself is working on a camera add-on that takes 360 degree photos. We’ve already seen a couple of phones that use modules, the LG G5 and Motorola Moto Z and whilst the idea may be good, in practice we don’t feel it quite works. It will be interesting to see how Essential would implement them.
Sources also said that Andy Rubin is sure artificial intelligence (AI) is the next big thing in technology – you only have to look at the likes of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa – and so Essential’s products will revolve heavily around the new technology.
It’s thought the phone will go on sale later this year for around $649, putting in right in the firing line of the iPhone 7. Rubin allegedly had talks with mobile operators such as Sprint at CES 2017, so it may be a US exclusive for now.
Nissan Micra (2017) first drive: Same name, different personality
Nissan’s Micra has been around for decades. Since 1983 in fact, selling over 3.5million in Europe alone during its lifetime. It’s a car everyone has heard of, even if not for all the best reasons.
Despite its popularity, the Micra hasn’t ever been the most exciting car on the road, at least not for those below certain age. That’s about to change though, because 2017 Micra is completely different and it’s lovely.
Nissan Micra (2017): Design
Nissan has completely reinvented the Micra in the fifth generation. The new model might carry the same iconic name, but it isn’t the Micra as you know it. Instead, the company appears to have scrapped everything except the name to deliver a Micra with a much wider appeal. Sorry grandma, but the Nissan Micra is no longer all about you.
Moving away from the small, rounded design, the new Micra has a more serious, sculpted shape that oozes character to deliver a striking finish, especially when customised. The sharp, angular lines look great and the extra 174mm length and 78mm width deliver a more substantial and sturdy body in comparison to the fourth generation. There is also a 55mm reduction in height, making the 2017 Micra one of the lowest in the B-hatchback segment.
Pocket-lint
Both the front and rear of the new Micra are bold, which will no doubt make this model as recognisable over time as its predecessors. The front has a shortened bonnet to the fourth-gen model with narrower headlights that stretch into the wings to frame the company’s V-motion grille, while the rear features boomerang-shaped light clusters and a sculpted bumper that hides the exhaust.
At the back of the sloping roof there is a sports-style spoiler, which comes as standard on all five model grades: Visia, Visia+, Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna. It has been added for aerodynamic performance but as you would expect, it makes the Micra sportier than it has been in the past and it’s a good look, especially combined with the smooth, gliding finish of the roof.
Pocket-lint
The new Micra is only available as a five-door, but the rear doors feature discrete handles, ensuring the design isn’t compromised. The Visia and Visia+ have 15-inch steel wheels with covers, while the Acenta bumps the wheel size up to 16-inches. We drove an N-Connecta, which comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, as well as a Tekna, which has 17-inch alloys as standard.
The 2017 Micra comes in 10 body colours from Echo Grey to Energy Orange, but there are around a hundred options available to make it stand out further. Nissan isn’t the first company to dabble with personalisation and it won’t be the last, but the various trim and interior material options are a real benefit.
Nissan Micra (2017): Interior and infotainment
Inside the new Micra things get even better. Based around a T-shaped “gliding wing” dashboard, the cabin offers a lovely flow from the handbrake to the chrome-finished door handles. Each of the five grades has a two-tone dash, delivering a premium look and feel throughout. Both our test models had the soft leather option added to the dash, which is only available on the Acenta grade and above, but well worth it.
Pocket-lint
The leather appears on the seat bolsters, door arm rest, knee pad and instrument panel and it looks great, really great. There are three colour options depending on the grade comprising Powder Blue, Energy Orange and Invigorating Red, all of which make the interior of the Micra really pop, while offering a luxury finish you’d expect to find on significantly more expensive cars.
The Visia+ model has an entry level audio system, while the Acenta grade and above come with a 7-inch Display Audio full-colour touch-screen system Apple’s CarPlay as standard. The system is easy to navigate and use, offering quick access to a variety of features through the physical buttons and the touchscreen itself. There is also a 5-inch colour screen situated in the centre of the driver’s display between the two dials to provide you with key information from the Display Audio system.
Our test models didn’t have CarPlay so we weren’t able to use Siri, Apple Maps or access our music when our iPhone was plugged in, but we did experience the Bose Personal audio system, which is a £500 option on the Acenta and N-Connecta grade or standard on the Tekna.
Pocket-lint
The Bose system consists of six speakers, two of which have been placed into the driver’s headrest, designed to deliver a 360-degree personal listening experience. The infotainment system then provides a setting option that allows you to adjust whether the music comes through the headrest or the front doors and A-pillars. The system sounds great, both through the headrest and the front, though we preferred the latter even if through the headrest made it easier to have a conversation with the front passenger.
The new Micra’s interior doesn’t just look and sound good though, there is also plenty of space and lots of clever storage areas, including a 300-litre boot, 10-litre glove box and a large, flat central console above the gear box that is perfect for placing your smartphone. This central storage also has a USB port and 12V socket, along with ambient lighting, all of which add to the pleasurable experience of the cabin.
Nissan Micra (2017): Experience
The Nissan Micra (2017) is available in three engine choices, all of which are five-speed manual. The 0.9-litre turbo petrol with 90PS has low emissions of 99 CO2 g/km, while the 1.5-litre turbo diesel with 90PS has emissions of 85 CO2 g/km. The third option is a 1.0-litre petrol model, which will be available to order from March 2017 with 73PS, this version lacking a turbo. It will also only be available in the Visia+ and Acenta grades in the UK.
We drove both the turbo petrol and turbo diesel and both models were a pleasure to drive. The diesel is more expensive as is always the way, starting at £14,195 compared to £11,995, but it delivered a smooth and surprisingly quiet experience. The petrol engine seemed to be a little louder in our experience, but still quiet enough.
Pocket-lint
The diesel accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 11.9 seconds and the petrol in 12.1 seconds so the new Micra is as far from a hot hatch as you’ll get. There is still plenty of power though and more than enough to tackle hills without an issue, something the 1.2-litre Fiat 500 Lounge struggles with at times, for example.
The Micra handled and cornered very well, filling us with confidence on the winding mountain roads. Its lower stance makes it a sportier drive than other models, lending some excitement without getting uncomfortable and it felt sturdy and secure, as well as responsive. Nissan has included two technologies called Intelligent Ride Control and Intelligent Trace Control. The latter kicks in when cornering, automatically engaging and adjusting the brakes to ensure an optimal line.
Pocket-lint
There are several other intelligent technologies available on the new Micra too though, all of which come as standard on the Tekna, but as an option on the other grades. Intelligent Lane Intervention activates if you begin veering out of your lane, individually applying the brakes and vibrating the steering wheel to guide the car back. Intelligent Emergency Braking features pedestrian recognition technology and is designed to avoid impacts or reduce the severity of them, automatically applying the brakes when a situation requires it.
There is also a 360-degree camera system, blind spot warnings on the mirrors, high beam assist and traffic sign recognition, rounding out the convenience features.
First Impressions
The Nissan Micra faces a greater challenge than some of its small car rivals, from the premium go kart experience of the Mini, to the very capable Ford Fiesta and the panache of the Fiat 500, as it has to overcome the stigma of being a boring car.
Nissan has redefined the character of the Mirca in the 2017 model to make it a sportier and more exciting car than it’s ever been in the past, which is all evident when you get behind the wheel. It won’t appeal to the boy racers of this world, but it has changed our opinion of what the Micra stands for.
The Acenta grade or above is the one to go for, starting at £14,995, and if you can afford it, the leather interior is excellent. Overall, it’s a great little car.
Report: Samsung’s Note 7 probe points blame at batteries
Samsung has concluded that the Galaxy Note 7’s fires and explosions were caused by battery problems, not the phone’s hardware or software, Reuters reports. The information comes from “a person familiar with the matter,” rather than an official source, but Samsung will reportedly release the full results from its investigation on January 23rd. To assuage nervous buyers, Samsung mobile chief Koh Dong-jin will likely also detail steps it’s taking to prevent similar problems with the Galaxy S8 and other future devices.
After problems with exploding Galaxy Note 7s first surfaced, Samsung recalled 2.5 million phones and rushed to find a solution to minimize the damage. It concluded at first that the problem was with batteries from its sister company (Samsung SDI), and that phones from another supplier (ATL) were fine. However, the replacement phones soon started exploding too, leading to a full recall and, eventually, a complete withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 from the market.
Samsung reportedly couldn’t figure out what caused the problem, even after assigning hundreds of engineers to figure it out. That led to speculation that there problems with the hardware design or software. The engineering firm Instrumental theorized that the overall design was doomed from the start, because Samsung was trying to squeeze a too-large battery into a too-slim body.
However, Samsung was finally able to replicate the fires during testing, Reuters said, and couldn’t find fault with the hardware or software. It would be surprising if a battery flaw alone caused the problem, considering that the company used multiple suppliers, so we’d take this news with a grain of salt. Whatever it is, Samsung’s explanation needs to satisfy a lot of folks — government safety bodies, consumer groups and, most importantly, a very skeptical public.
Source: Reuters
MIT wants you to change 3D-printed objects after you make them
When you 3D-print an object, that’s usually all she wrote — the polymers “die” and prevent you from either adding to your creation or altering its properties. However, things might not be set in stone (or rather, plastic) for not much longer. MIT researchers have developed a method that lets you modify polymers and mess with your original creation. The key is to create accordion-like ‘living’ polymers that stretch when you expose them to blue LEDs, giving you a chance to alter their properties. You could fuse objects together, soften them, or even alter their water resistance.
If you add the right monomer (a core aspect of plastic), you can also make an object swell or shrink by changing the temperature.
There’s a big catch to this current approach: you need an oxygen-free environment to trigger the reaction, which isn’t exactly practical for a home 3D printer. MIT will have to test other catalysts to see if they produce the same result with oxygen around. Should that happen, though, you won’t always to get everything right the first time. You could correct slip-ups, add new parts and otherwise improve your work without having to print another whole model.
Source: MIT News
LG G6 undergoing extensive battery tests, uses heat pipes to prevent overheating

LG is conducting rigorous battery tests to ensure the LG G6 doesn’t end up like the Note 7.
The LG G6 will be the first LG device to use heat pipes as a way to siphon heat away from the core components. Speaking to Korea Herald, LG’s Lee Seok-jong said:
We will significantly improve the safety and quality of our new flagship smartphones as more consumers seek safe smartphones.
Sony introduced heat pipes as a way to dissipate heat in the Xperia Z2, and Microsoft did the same with the Lumia 950 XL. Samsung also started using heat pipes last year in the Galaxy S7 and S7 edge.
Incidentally, the Note 7 also featured the same cooling system, but that didn’t prevent it from inexplicably catching on fire. Which is why LG is saying that it will also conduct rigorous battery tests to ensure the phone doesn’t overheat:
We are conducting battery heat exposure tests to a temperature 15 percent higher than the temperature set by the international standards of the US and Europe.
The battery also undergoes diverse tests such as piercing it with a sharp nail or dropping a heavy object on it from a high place.
The LG G6 is slated to make its debut next month at Mobile World Congress.
Lenovo’s excellent Z2 Plus gets a price cut in India, now available for just ₹14,999

One of the best phones in this segment is now more affordable.
The Lenovo Z2 Plus is one of the best phones you can get for under ₹20,000 in India. The phone offers incredible value for money in the form of a 5-inch Full HD display, 2.15GHz Snapdragon 820 SoC, 4GB of RAM, 64GB storage, 13MP ISOCELL camera, 8MP front camera, USB-C, and a 3500mAh battery.
Starting today, Lenovo is slashing the price of the Z2 Plus by ₹3,000 for the base variant with 3GB of RAM and 32GB storage, making it available for just ₹14,999.
To put things into context, that’s just ₹1,000 more than what the Moto G4 Plus is currently retailing for on Amazon. Lenovo is also discounting the variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage by ₹2,500, bringing it down to ₹17,499.
Lenovo Z2 Plus review
Lenovo has launched several phones in India in recent months in a bid to increase its market share in the smartphone segment, and the move is working out very well for the company. It is now the second-largest smartphone vendor in the country, and is looking to close the gap to Samsung this year. To that effect, Lenovo has mentioned that it is ending its exclusivity with Amazon India for the Z2 Plus, making the phone available on Flipkart and retail stores across the country.
If you’re looking to shell out somewhere in the vicinity of ₹15,000 for a phone, you cannot go wrong with the Z2 Plus.
See at Amazon India See at Flipkart
Batteries with built-in flame retardant could prevent fiery mishaps
One big problem with lithium-ion batteries is that they have the tendency to catch fire and blow up all kinds of gadgets like toys and phones. To solve that issue, a group of researchers from Stanford University created lithium-ion batteries with built-in fire extinguishers. They added a component called “triphenyl phosphate” to the plastic fibers of the part that keeps negative and positive electrodes separate. Triphenyl phosphate is a compound commonly used as a flame retardant for various electronics. If the battery’s temperature reaches 150 degrees Celsius, the plastic fibers melt and release the chemical. Based on the researchers’ tests, the method can stop batteries from burning up within 0.4 seconds.
Previous attempts at building mini fire extinguishers inside batteries significantly reduced their performance. Yi Cui, this project’s lead scientist, says this doesn’t have the same effect and that the chemical won’t be released under normal temperatures:
“Using our ‘smart’ separators, battery electrochemical performance will not be affected by the flame retardant under normal conditions. However, once there is a potential thermal runaway, the flame retardant will be activated and nip the fire or explosion in the bud.”
According to IEEE Spectrum, future experiments could include ensuring overcharging and deep discharging don’t activate the retardant. You can read up on what the researchers have done thus far in their paper published by Science.
Source: Science
Samsung leader faces arrest in South Korea
Samsung’s past several months have been pretty lousy, but they’re about to get much, much worse. South Korean prosecutors have announced that they’re seeking a warrant to arrest Samsung Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong (aka Jay Y. Lee), the electronics giant’s effective leader, over accusations of bribery and other misdeeds. Investigators allege that Lee was involved in payments made to Choi Soon-sil, an ally of the country’s impeached President with cultish control, in a supposed bid to clinch approval for a merger.
A court still has to approve the warrant, and Samsung hasn’t yet offered a formal response to the warrant request. Even so, it’s already clear that the mere intention of arresting Lee would be a serious blow to both him and Samsung as a whole. Lee, as the son of Chairman Lee Kun-hee (himself convicted and pardoned), was tapped to formally take control of Samsung in time — what happens if he’s convicted? His sisters hold powerful positions, but they weren’t groomed as obvious successors.
The issue wouldn’t be so concerning if not for Samsung’s attempts to formally consolidate power around the Lee family, not to mention its far-reaching influence on the South Korean economy. If Samsung suddenly has to rethink its leadership, it risks creating a lot of uncertainty in the country at large. Would it be ready to choose its first leader with no ties to the company founder? And would whoever comes next be as successful? While it’s far from certain that executives will have to answer those hard questions, the very fact that they’re coming up is bound to be worrying in a nation where Samsung is practically an institution.
Source: Bloomberg
Virginia bill would effectively ban city-run broadband
Now that the FCC can’t prevent states from blocking municipal broadband, telecom-backed politicians are doing their best to shut down these government-run networks. Virginia House Republican Kathy Byron has put forward a bill that would make municipal internet virtually impossible. Towns couldn’t offer internet service so long as there’s at least one private provider offering 10Mbps downloads and 1Mbps uploads to 90 percent of customers in the area — and that’s pretty easy to find in Virginia. Those towns that do clear this hurdle would have to both conduct a “comprehensive” assessment and give private ISPs 6 months to come up with solutions that are potentially less expensive.
Ars Technica notes that companies would also have the legal power to fight municipal broadband initiatives, and towns wouldn’t be allowed to price below the equivalent baseline costs (such as fees and taxes) for a private business. In other words, municipal services would have little chance of undercutting the rates of their corporate rivals even if there was otherwise no legal barrier.
Not surprisingly, the bill isn’t the result of a grassroots campaign. It’s supported by lobbyists from the Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association, which has a vested interest in shutting down any attempts at fostering competition for existing cable/telco duopolies. As the Roanoake Times observes, Byron has received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the VCTA, AT&T, CenturyLink, Comcast and Verizon — there’s a strong financial incentive for her to spare these companies from having to boost speeds or lower prices.
It’s just a bill, and Republican legislative majorities may not matter if the Democratic governor simply vetoes the measure if and when it reaches his desk before the November 2017 election. However, the proposal shows just how eager telecoms are to kill municipal broadband plans, and it won’t be surprising if a change of state leadership produces a bill that eventually becomes law.
Via: Ars Technica, Roanoke Times
Source: Virginia LIS



