Friday, July 30, 2010
This Is Way, Way Off-Topic: ATT to the Bakken
This is way off topic but it is too good a story to resist.
Today, the Bismarck Tribune is reporting that ATT will soon provide wireless service in North Dakota. That is great news for those of us who travel with iPads.
However, that's not the point of this story.
If one is familiar with the current marketing war between ATT and Verizon, this story has a bit of irony.
Verizon started the controversial ad war by stating it covered much, much more of the continental United States, and true enough, when looking at the map of coverage, there are huge ATT gaps across fly-over country in the US.
ATT went to court suing Verizon over misleading ads. ATT lost.
ATT countered with a pretty good ad showing that (despite the gaps across fly-over country), ATT coverage reaches 97% of Americans.
I guess ATT is trying to fill in that fly-over gap by bringing wireless to North Dakota, one of the larger fly-over states.
But here's the irony: how ATT is entering this new territory. ATT has bought the Alltel network from Verizon wireless which covered North Dakota, and much of the other fly-over country.
It appears ATT's geographic coverage will increase at the expense of Verizon's. I doubt the change will move the needle with regard to actual subscribers. But it makes the iPad a more viable tablet in North Dakota.
I can't make this stuff up.
[Note: ATT and Verizon announced the sale of Alltel assets back in May, 2009, but the deal is finally completed. Lots of federal red tape to get through to close the deal.]
Telstar, The Tornados, 1962
Named for the ATT communications satellite, Telstar. The writer of this song received no royalties for this song. He was accused of plagiarism. The court finally ruled in his favor ... one year after his death. It is unlikely the composer ever heard the song he was accused of stealing --- that song was only released in France. This is the first single by a British band to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was also a number one hit in the UK.
Today, the Bismarck Tribune is reporting that ATT will soon provide wireless service in North Dakota. That is great news for those of us who travel with iPads.
However, that's not the point of this story.
If one is familiar with the current marketing war between ATT and Verizon, this story has a bit of irony.
Verizon started the controversial ad war by stating it covered much, much more of the continental United States, and true enough, when looking at the map of coverage, there are huge ATT gaps across fly-over country in the US.
ATT went to court suing Verizon over misleading ads. ATT lost.
ATT countered with a pretty good ad showing that (despite the gaps across fly-over country), ATT coverage reaches 97% of Americans.
I guess ATT is trying to fill in that fly-over gap by bringing wireless to North Dakota, one of the larger fly-over states.
But here's the irony: how ATT is entering this new territory. ATT has bought the Alltel network from Verizon wireless which covered North Dakota, and much of the other fly-over country.
It appears ATT's geographic coverage will increase at the expense of Verizon's. I doubt the change will move the needle with regard to actual subscribers. But it makes the iPad a more viable tablet in North Dakota.
I can't make this stuff up.
[Note: ATT and Verizon announced the sale of Alltel assets back in May, 2009, but the deal is finally completed. Lots of federal red tape to get through to close the deal.]
Telstar, The Tornados, 1962
Named for the ATT communications satellite, Telstar. The writer of this song received no royalties for this song. He was accused of plagiarism. The court finally ruled in his favor ... one year after his death. It is unlikely the composer ever heard the song he was accused of stealing --- that song was only released in France. This is the first single by a British band to reach number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and was also a number one hit in the UK.
Experienced Roughnecks From the Gulf Flying into the Bakken
The Oil Patch Hotline is reporting some interesting news:
- 139 active rigs now, another dozen are expected between now and the end of the year
- Critical shortage of roughnecks is forcing some operators to fly in workers from the Gulf
- New computer controlled rigs can cost $16 million to build; require experienced hands
- Day rates for these rigs: $16,000
- Roughnecks from Louisiana are in the Bakken for two weeks; then fly home for two weeks
- At $16,000 day rates, producers fleeing natural gas and moving to oil
- Five companies mention they will have more rigs in the Bakken by the end of the year
Thursday, July 29, 2010
142
140 active rigs this morning, and now, tonight, July 29, 2010, 142 active rigs in North Dakota. Another record.
EPA Update
Congress says "no" to federal fracking rules. (For now.)
EPA continues study which is due out not later than 2012.
This link may be broken and require a password/subscription to search archives.
UPDATE: Williston Herald has article on same. July 30, 2010.
EPA continues study which is due out not later than 2012.
This link may be broken and require a password/subscription to search archives.
UPDATE: Williston Herald has article on same. July 30, 2010.
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