Business Letter, August 26

Published August 26, 2006 at midnight

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Net neutrality already written into telco law

One thing missing in Jeff Smith's July 31 Mile High Tech article on Net neutrality ("Crimping the flow") is the point that we have it now. It's written into law that telecommunication companies (not including cable) cannot treat the voice and data on their networks differently. They must be neutral.

What the cable and phone companies want is to change that law. So, the fact that services have already been blocked with Net neutrality, one can easily predict what will happen when we lose it. Also, arguing that the Federal Trade Commission will be adequate to police abuse is laughable; they've done such a good job fighting e-mail spam.

John Erhardt

Denver

Reimburse businesses hurt by T-REX work

Despite the Aug. 21 News article, "T-REX's (un)happy finish/Freeway completion good for Denver, but took a toll on some," I see T-REX as very important and useful. It will benefit everyone by increasing energy efficiency and saving time by decreasing the travel time and distance between different areas around Denver.

Of course, as the article made clear, T-REX disruptions did cut into the earnings of some businesses. Since everyone will benefit from T-REX, but those businesses suffered more than the rest of us, I think it is only fair that those businesses should get reimbursed for the money they lost due to T-REX construction. This should be done with tax money, so that all of us pay the cost.

Zach Braegger

Centennial

'Clean' coal technology should be pursued

Regarding Gargi Chakrabarty's Aug. 16 article, "Xcel invests in 'clean' coal," I hope you will run more articles about this promising new technology. In addition to allowing for less air pollution and reduction of CO2 emissions, this technology has the potential to greatly reduce the amount of water required by traditional coal-fired power plants, which could save millions of gallons of water - a very important issue in an arid state like Colorado.

Also, unlike electricity, which cannot be stored for later use, the synthetic gas produced for the clean coal generation process could by compressed and stored for later use. This would allow a more flexible power generation grid. For example: We could utilize wind power turbines when the ambient wind speed was high enough to allow for efficient utilization of windmills for power generation. When the ambient wind speed fell below the optimum, we would have stored synthetic gas to use in the gas turbines at the clean-coal plant for power.

The synthetic gas itself could be a valuable product to be sold for chemical production or directly for combustion as a heating fuel. The CO2 can be used for enhanced oil and gas production, greenhouses and as a refrigerant.

There are many potential benefits that could come from developing this new technology, and Xcel should be commended for pursuing it.

John Lepant

Brighton

'Old' Frontier ended operations 20 years ago

This week represents the 20-year anniversary of the demise of the original Frontier Airlines, or the "old" Frontier. After 40 years of loyal service, Frontier ceased operations on Aug. 24, 1986, and filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy a few days later.

Frontier's predecessor, Monarch Airlines, was formed by Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame member Raymond M. Wilson. The company struggled to survive and flew unpressurized DC-3 aircraft through the cold and icy Colorado winters and the storms of summers. The airline had an unparalleled safety record, having never had a passenger fatality.

Monarch merged with two other carriers to form Frontier. The Convair 580 formed the backbone of the Frontier fleet and allowed service to Grand Junction, Steamboat Springs, Montrose, Durango, Gunnison and Pueblo.

In the 1980s, Frontier was squeezed in a three-airline hub at Denver between United and Continental and faced a sluggish economy and endless competition from other new low-fare carriers. Between 1985 and 1986, the airline changed presidents and ownership and fought hard to survive financially in the oversaturated environment of the day.

It is important to note that even in her toughest time, the employees of Frontier proudly continued their high standard of service and loyally served Colorado in the airline's later years just as they had early on.

I sincerely hope Frontier's legacy will live on in the time to come, just as strong as it has in the 20 years since.

Greg Stearns

Greenwood Village

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