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In Michigan only telecommunications companies, power companies, cable companies, and municipalities can be on the poles. So, an Internet only company is excluded.

Michigan also has one of the most unique laws here. A municipality needs to put out an RFP to build the broadband network. If it gets three or more qualified bids it cannot proceed.

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Sorry, but if it gets more bids it can't proceed? What?

Yep. It's messed up.

I'd love to hear the rationalization for this one

The wording could be more clear. Written another way:

"a public entity may provide telecommunication services within its boundaries after issuing a request for competitive sealed bids to provide telecommunication services and receiving less than 3 qualified bids from private providers."

If you get enough bids, the assumption is that the price is competitive and therefore it's cheaper to use a private company and not have the gov't itself do the infrastructure work.

How is internet not a subset of telecommunications?

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