LegoPower77
Abecedarian
Premium
join:2002-08-03
Arlington, VA
| Will the data show regulation the way to go?
Should be interesting.
I doubt any of the data will show that deregulatory policies are not the best course of action. Sure we could wire every 300 person town with 100mbs, but at what cost? It's too bad the FCC has as much control as it does. I hope people can agree that having a regulatory board or agency opens the market up to political rent seeking. In other words, politicians and regulators act as self-interested individuals just as eeevil corporateers do in the private market. Certainly there is a function for government, but we musn't be Pollyannaish that there aren't costs when we use it.
My prediction is that this dubiously named "Center for Public Democracy" will not be any less biased in their analysis of the data than the FCC has supposedly been for their side. (For the record, I do think it sounds bogus to have 1 person mean it's a wired zip code.)
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"It is a melancholy reflection that liberty should be equally exposed to danger whether the government have too much or too little power."—James Madison
It's right, it's free. |
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xlimitx
join:2001-12-31
Wilkes Barre, PA | FCC = Mess
With an agency that kept all of their EAS on paper up until 2 years ago. I don't see the FCC being able to come up with accurate data on this anytime soon. |
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Raptor
Not a Dumptruck
join:2001-10-21
London, ON
 ·Rogers Hi-Speed
 ·Bell Sympatico
| Fast like turtle!
broadband watermark of 200kbps ahem?...I don't know what 200kbps is useful for, as it's certainly not broadband. Does anyone under the age of 50 work at the FCC or what?
Seems to me all its useful for is hitting their national coverage targets.
First poster has a point, will this organization, while with its opposing views, be any less bias on it's claim. Although, in any case, public access to these records can't harm anyone, well except anyone currently abusing the system.
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....where's my fiber? |
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nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD
·Comcast
2 edits | reply to LegoPower77
Re: Will the data show regulation the way to go?
if the data is worth a damn, it will give an accurate picture of broadband in the U.S. Previous interpretations of the FCC data clearly do not do that, given the "zip code" and "200kbps" criteria they use.
From anecdotal and other evidence, my feeling is that broadband in the U.S. is in pretty bad shape, compared to the leaders in the developed world.
besides, we don't need the raw FCC data to show whether or not there needs to be regulation - examination of every single country that is ranked ahead of us in broadband shows some sort of regulatory scheme in place that is more rigorous than what we have. |
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jgkolt
Premium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH
clubs:
| reply to Raptor
Re: Fast like turtle!
regardless if the analysis of the data is biased or not they said they would release the database. With the raw information out there we can make our own assumption. Or rather our favorite news organization [insert here] can analyze it and put the spin we want on it.
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www.LakeSemaJ.com |
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EmJayDee
@dejazzd.com
| Err... by this definition we're all on broadband
Speaking as one of those tormented souls that lives just beyond the DSL loop (yes, I can see where it ends!) and has to use satellite (Wild Blue) for access, it strikes me that if the definition of a broadband is anywhere you can get a speed of 200kbps or greater then I think the figure should probably be 99.98%. This allows for those folks, even worse off than I am who cannot get real broadband AND do not have a southern facing view they can utilize for satellite.
Moral of the story is... all you folks out there bitching that you can't get broadband... the FCC says tough. You can get satellite so shut up and go away while we stick our heads back in the sand. |
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morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs: | reply to LegoPower77
Re: Will the data show regulation the way to go?
all that matters is that the FCC releases the data for others to analyze.
why haven't they yet? they are hiding something... |
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vpoko
Premium
join:2003-07-03
Jamaica Plain, MA
| FOIA
For the record, this suit is meant to keep the FCC from dragging its feet (as it has been) on the FOIA request, the FCC hasn't denied the original request (nor acted on it at all within the required time). It may be that they have something to hide, or it may be that they're behind on their FOIA requests (agencies never respond within the 10 days required). |
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Doom3654
join:2006-09-08 | reply to EmJayDee
Re: Err... by this definition we're all on broadband
so we should be stuck with one of the most expensive POS to set up? that just aint right. |
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LegoPower77
Abecedarian
Premium
join:2002-08-03
Arlington, VA
| reply to nasadude
Re: Will the data show regulation the way to go?
I don't know, I'm not a technician, what is the definition of broadband? Is it a matter of preference; 200Kb is too slow? I use 768 at home because I'm willing to wait longer for pirated MP3s  , if they had a 200k tier at a lower cost, I would consider it.
On point about regulation, there's a reason that most of the stuff is invented here. Regulations set into place what already exists and throw cold water on innovation by locking in a "rate of return" on investment and favoring incumbent firms. In other words, they are safe because they have the contract and so there is no need to innovate.
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"It is a melancholy reflection that liberty should be equally exposed to danger whether the government have too much or too little power."—James Madison
It's right, it's free. |
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broadbander
join:2005-07-21
Brooklyn, NY
| reply to LegoPower77
I doubt any of the data will show that deregulatory policies are not the best course of action. Sure we could wire every 300 person town with 100mbs, but at what cost? It's too bad the FCC has as much control as it does.
Broadband has hardly enough competitors for deregulatory matters to improve much at this point. Regulation of the industry during the 20th century helped set the regional monopoly stage now set.
I agree that the FCC, a federal body, has too much power in general, but I also think local authorities have too little leeway in forging their own networks. Whereas other countries with better penetration have introduced ambitious government directives, tax deals, and yes, even cross-subsidization plans for private and local government investment/partnership in broadband, and have, as such, expanded more rapidly available service and opened the market for provision competition, the U.S. has gone the opposite, staying largely mum on the subject and giving mixed regulatory signals. The courts have been even more bewildered, with ridiculous rulings both for and against local/state regulatory practices.
The U.S.'s broadband superiority has been falling rapidly in recent years and the current FCC's lack of vision has had a lot to do with it. An unwillingness to devote themselves to either side of the deregulation argument and an ambivalence about how to proactively promote partnership.
It will be lovely to see the data and formulate our own conclusions. |
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Fatal Vector
join:2005-11-26
| reply to vpoko
Re: FOIA
It's doubtfull they have anything to hide. Foot dragging is standard FCC in virtually everything they do.
The just have the attitude: We'll get to it when we damn well please and if you dont like it, tough. There isn't a damn thing you can do about it.
Dont feel bad, they've been dragging their feet on some important Amateur Radio stuff for years now. |
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broadbander
join:2005-07-21
Brooklyn, NY
| reply to LegoPower77
Re: Will the data show regulation the way to go?
Regulations set into place what already exists and throw cold water on innovation by locking in a "rate of return" on investment and favoring incumbent firms.
Bingo, but now a proactive policy (not necessarily a regulatory one) might be required to dismantle that framework/advantage. |
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vpoko
Premium
join:2003-07-03
Jamaica Plain, MA
| reply to Fatal Vector
Re: FOIA
said by Fatal Vector  :The just have the attitude: We'll get to it when we damn well please and if you dont like it, tough. There isn't a damn thing you can do about it. Well, one can sue, which is what happened here. |
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madrhino
join:2004-07-03
 ·Verizon FIOS
·Comcast
| reply to Fatal Vector
If a satellite signal can penetrate a millimeter of water then 99% of the earths ENTIRE surface is wired.
Using a crude ratio of 2:1 for H2O to terra firma we see that broadband capacity is currently 198% on land areas.
No,I am not a government agency.I can make up my own ridiculous bullshit.
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Get Verizon FIOS,The Anti-DIOS |
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nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD
·Comcast
| reply to LegoPower77
Re: Will the data show regulation the way to go?
said by LegoPower77 :... Regulations set into place what already exists and throw cold water on innovation by locking in a "rate of return" on investment and favoring incumbent firms. In other words, they are safe because they have the contract and so there is no need to innovate. regulations can also open markets to new entrants when monopoly incumbents control those markets and prevent easy entry. That's the problem we have right now: most markets are at best controlled by two companies, the telco or the cableco; some markets are entirely controlled by only one of them (like where I live). The 1996 telecom act was supposed to open these markets, but it was never enforced like it should have been (big campaign contributions and telco stonewalling took care of that).
In these strange times we live in, where down is up and black is white, it is apparently very easy to convince politicians competition exists where there is none (the big campaign contributions help also). The FCC is simply playing it's role in this game. That's why people would like to see the raw data - they think the fix is in and the books are cooked (so do I).
I don't know if we need regulation or not; I do know we need competition. Right now, lack of competition is what is stifling innovation and keeping prices high and speeds low. |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
·North State Commun..
| reply to LegoPower77
said by LegoPower77 :but at what cost? You have a very valid point.
I wonder how many people said this when Eisenhower subsidized the interstate highway system? Back then, most people in traditionally "lower technology" areas probably thought the same thing most people today do about the current broadband available, "It's good enough for me, so it must be good enough for everyone else.", "I don't need any new roads, my two-lane twisty country road is fine.", "I don't see what you can do with 100Mbps that you can't do with 1.5Mbps", etc etc....
I wonder where our country would be without the interstate system?
I hate to think about where our country will be if we don't take control of a national broadband deployment out of the hands of private companies and enact a viable solution. |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | reply to madrhino
Re: FOIA
quote:
No,I am not a government agency.I can make up my own ridiculous bullshit.
I believe you mean "digestive repercussion"... |
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LegoPower77
Abecedarian
Premium
join:2002-08-03
Arlington, VA
| reply to Matt
Re: Will the data show regulation the way to go?
said by Matt :I hate to think about where our country will be if we don't take control of a national broadband deployment out of the hands of private companies and enact a viable solution. Scary thought.
I don't know if the comparison with the interstate highway system is very accurate. For one thing, there is a valid argument that interstates promote national defense by allowing for quick movement of troops and equipment. It be hard to make that case for small town broadband access.
Secondly, the interstate system, while funded by taxpayers, was built by private contractors.
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"It is a melancholy reflection that liberty should be equally exposed to danger whether the government have too much or too little power."—James Madison
It's right, it's free. |
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stevephl
join:2000-11-27
Colorado Springs, CO
·Comcast
| reply to Matt
This is pure socialist thinking dude. I know it is the in-thing these days to bash the US, whining and crying that we don't have more free or almost free benefits. The reality is that we are expanding broadband, this is a very large country compared to other countries and the population densities varies to thousands an acre to 1 per couple hundred acres. It is not nor has it ever been the role of government to regulate/run/operate broadband or any other service. People live with only dial or no Internet connection and do just fine. Let the industry do its thing they are going as fast as they can. There are going to be places left behind as not economically feasible part of life learn to deal with it. Businesses have a right to make a profit, owe reason to exist and any case we all benefit from those profits. No subsidizing of the Internet please want it? Pay for it then. The government should not ever subsidize anything or utility.
Living large in Colorado |
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