Cheese
Premium
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL
clubs: | Well isn't this just shocking.
 The government? No plan? Who would have thought! |
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blackjeep
join:2001-07-12
Atlanta, GA | What a DUMBAZZ@@@@@@
What a DUMBAZZ!!!! |
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woody7
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Torrance, CA | hmmm.....
Duh |
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nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD | that's funny...
I thought the FCC's broadband plan was to hand the keys to the incumbents and let them do whatever the hell they wanted to. It's certainly been heading that way, with no end in sight. |
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xrobertcmx
Premium
join:2001-06-18
Sterling, VA
clubs: 
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Comcast
| Really
I thought we had one. I was under the impression that the FCC and several states hoped to promote broadband penetration by selling out to the Ilecs and Cable Companies. We deregulate and give them what they want and everyone gets some kind of half baked internet service.
But that was just my impression. Maybe I was wrong.
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4 More years and we won't have a country. |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
|  Copps wants bigger USF; I say kill it
»www.telecommagazine.com/newsglob···=AR_1706
Like speakers from day one of the NTCA annual meeting, Copps called for focused reform of the Universal Service Fund, the system which helps rural telcos provides core communications services to their typically far flung constituents.
“A broader base is needed to make the USF more viable,” said Copps in reference to the need for all providers to contributed to the fund based on revenues. “I predict 2006 will be the year when action will be taken on the contribution methodology. We will see reform that will put us on firming footing.” Translation: he wants to make the VOIP providers pay into the USF too.
I have a better solution. Kill the USF. The money collected does nothing for rural users anyway. Get rid of the USF and more money will be in the hands of all users of telecomm services.
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Join Red Room Forum
My Web Page
Conrail Photo Album |
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JakCrow
join:2001-12-06
Palo Alto, CA | reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Copps wants bigger USF; I say kill it
Some congress critters want to expand the USF as well. Nothing like throwing MORE money at a broken problem. |
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Okman
join:2001-10-01
92714
| the World is better off w/o Rural America
I can't imagine the World wanting to hear the opinions of rural America, which are mostly "redneck & hill-billy" in tone. Using USF money so that that rural American can "voice" their opinions?? I shall not support such nonsense. In fact, I'm kinda glad that we're only 16th in the world in terms of broadband penetration. We are the biggest piece of digital garbage in cyberspace! |
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rf_engineer
join:2003-08-04
USA
| reply to TKJunkMail
Re: Copps wants bigger USF; I say kill it
said by TKJunkMail  :» www.telecommagazine.com/newsglob···=AR_1706Like speakers from day one of the NTCA annual meeting, Copps called for focused reform of the Universal Service Fund, the system which helps rural telcos provides core communications services to their typically far flung constituents.
“A broader base is needed to make the USF more viable,” said Copps in reference to the need for all providers to contributed to the fund based on revenues. “I predict 2006 will be the year when action will be taken on the contribution methodology. We will see reform that will put us on firming footing.” Translation: he wants to make the VOIP providers pay into the USF too. I have a better solution. Kill the USF. The money collected does nothing for rural users anyway. Get rid of the USF and more money will be in the hands of all users of telecomm services. The USF funds eRate which provides broadband/telecommunicaions services to schools, especially poorer, rural schools. |
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G_Poobah
join:2004-01-17
Schenectady, NY
| Actually, as shocking as it sounds, I agree with Retire_rich on this one. The USF is one of the most corrupt and useless funds ever developed. I have first had experience with it, as the school system 3 towns over spent well over 5M+ on some massively overpriced cisco gear to 'wire up' their schools. However they don't have any money to pay for the technical skills required to install it, they don't have any money to pay for the circuits, they don't have any money for the support infrastructure (wiring/etc). Instead they have millions of dollars in Cisco 6xxx series core switches, fully loaded with 48 port and fiber blades, sitting in boxes in storage, depreciating in value at the rate of 25% per year. In 5 years, (it's been 2 years now), it'll be next to worthless.
The ONLY person who made money of this was the sleazy 'government approved' vendor that sold the equipment. The vendor absolutely knew that the equipment was useless for the school and their current budge situation, but the terms of the USF funding stated the school HAD to spend the money on 'approved items'.
It's fraud, it's a waste of money, and it's of no benefit to anyone. If the USF is going to be used for anything, if it can't be killed, it should be used to wire up the infrastructure with fiber everywhere. Don't necessarily have to light the fiber, but get the infrastructure built, and the town can light it when the telcos/cableco's get too greedy (as is happening now).
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Sure the internet has lots of porn and piracy, but I'm sure there's a downside to it. |
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vpoko
Premium
join:2003-07-03
Jamaica Plain, MA
1 edit | reply to Okman
Re: the World is better off w/o Rural America
said by Okman :I can't imagine the World wanting to hear the opinions of rural America, which are mostly "redneck & hill-billy" in tone. Using USF money so that that rural American can "voice" their opinions?? I shall not support such nonsense. In fact, I'm kinda glad that we're only 16th in the world in terms of broadband penetration. We are the biggest piece of digital garbage in cyberspace! Well, I guess you have it all figured out then.
But have you thought that broadband isn't just a place for people to "voice their opinions" but also to learn and interact with the larger world? Isn't it a way to talk to people from different places, to be exposed to ideas you've never considered? Isn't it a way to do business? Doesn't knowledge of computing and the internet help with modern jobs?
No sir, I only know of one redneck voicing their opinion on the internet at this moment, and I'd happily give your internet connection to some rural folks that need it, I imagine they'd be able to make better use of it than you. |
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rileyjam514
There You Go Again...
join:2005-06-26
Kearny, NJ
| reply to G_Poobah
Re: Copps wants bigger USF; I say kill it
Wow.
There is a subject that Retire_Rich, G_Poobah and I all agree upon.
Get rid of the USF. It is essentially welfare for the Telcos and Cablecos, which certainly don't need it (when was the last time you met a rich person who needed welfare, anyway?).
I say, to start, we ought to cut off USF funding for telcos and cablecos that have chosen not to wire rural areas. These rural areas are the ones that are supposed to be benefitting the most from the USF and they are seeing nothing instead. You choose not to do what you said you would do, so we aren't going to pay you. Period.
Yank the leash. The dog will sit.
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"It is my destiny to give back to the universe infinitely more than I have taken from it." -- Anonymous |
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brooklynman4
join:2004-09-07
Brooklyn, NY | Maybe go private??
Now is the chance to privatilize it whos will offer the goverment money ?? |
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bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
| reply to G_Poobah
Re: Copps wants bigger USF; I say kill it
Its sounds more like the USF, with respect to schools at least, needs to reformed more than it needs to be tossed out. By simply removing the "approved items" requirement and allowing schools districts to bid out the equipment, school districts won't get stuck like that. That would allow schools to purchase the equipment they need not something that can run a datacenter like ThePlanet or NAC.
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Too logical to be a conservative... Too practical to be a liberal... Too realistic to be a Libertarian. |
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Jamuka
join:2005-06-06
| reply to G_Poobah
And you know who came up with this useless, stupid-ass, corrupt as hell, just another government boondoggle of a program (i.e. the eRate program)????!!!!
That's right, you guessed it Mr. Internet himself, the Tree,
AlGore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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DonLibes
Premium,ExMod 2001
join:2003-01-19
| reply to rileyjam514
said by rileyjam514 :I say, to start, we ought to cut off USF funding for telcos and cablecos that have chosen not to wire rural areas. These rural areas are the ones that are supposed to be benefitting the most from the USF and they are seeing nothing instead. You choose not to do what you said you would do, so we aren't going to pay you. Period. From an environmentalist point of view, USF should be killed outright. USF (when it works) encourages sprawl. You want to live in an isolated area - pay the price for it, the full price.
The days are long since gone when this country needs to encourage exploration of its undeveloped areas. |
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Cheese
Premium
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL
clubs:
| said by DonLibes :said by rileyjam514 :I say, to start, we ought to cut off USF funding for telcos and cablecos that have chosen not to wire rural areas. These rural areas are the ones that are supposed to be benefitting the most from the USF and they are seeing nothing instead. You choose not to do what you said you would do, so we aren't going to pay you. Period. From an environmentalist point of view, USF should be killed outright. USF (when it works) encourages sprawl. You want to live in an isolated area - pay the price for it, the full price. The days are long since gone when this country needs to encourage exploration of its undeveloped areas. So, according to you, people should just pack up and move, to pay a lower price for broadband? Wow, just, wow. |
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calvoiper
join:2003-03-31
Belvedere Tiburon, CA
| reply to DonLibes
said by DonLibes :From an environmentalist point of view, USF should be killed outright. ... A very interesting companion to my belief that when you go rural, you make choices--sometimes you pay more for or can't get things (broadband, piano delivery, Thai food) and sometimes you pay less or find it for free (taxes, rent, parking.)
You should just live with the consequences of your choices, and government interference should be limited to those situations where you have a tendency to make a personal choice that significantly bad for the community as a whole (no fly dumping of trash, etc.)
calvoiper
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VoIP--the death knell of remaining voice monopolies! |
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