BOHICA
@comcast.net
| Too late!
We the people have been swindled yet again.
Sure, the government got a few bazillion for OUR spectrum but T and VZ will quickly recover their purchases by increasing our wireless bills. I suspect we'll see a new line item shortly.
And with no competition in sight, we're still held hostage by the Evil Duo. God bless the telecorps! |
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Ed Whitacre
@charter.com
| Well, what's the big surprise here ? Have you noticed that in the US (vs other places) the "good" things comes in pairs? like major players?
ATT vs Verizon
Coca Cola vs Pepsi
P&G vs Colgate
Democrats vs. Republicans
Ford vs. Ford
Lowes vs Home Depot and so on....
Plenty of choice, right ? |
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EPS
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA
| reply to BOHICA
Hm? T-Mobile, Sprint, Alltel, and the smaller carriers still exist, and you can give them your money (or not have a cell phone if you don't want to pay, plenty of people don't and do perfectly well)
Yes, T and VZ/VOD have the best spectrum positions in lower freqencies, but that doesn't mean the other carriers don't exist- Sprint for example still probably has more spectrum than either in key markets. T-Mobile will be rolling out 3G soon on AWS spectrum... |
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andyb
Premium
join:2003-05-29
SW Ontario
 ·TekSavvy Solutions..
·Bell Sympatico
| Minimum bids that start way obove any kind of money for smaller players makes things a bit unfair.Sure the big guys bought the national for the most part but leave something for the smaller players,like state only companies.
I'm Canadian and not sure how it works there but it seems very close to the duopoly shit we have here.It will only drive your bill up.It never goes down without competition. |
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EPS
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA
| The bid price is I think the biggest issue- also, the gap between when the companies can start making money and when they have to pay... in the recent auction, money was due immediately after the auction (as I recall there was one week), while they can't use the spectrum until it's vacated a year later... if you're a startup, not only do you have to pay exorbitant amounts of money, you have to convince whoever is backing you to not demand their money for a year until you can actually start making money... and in the current financial climate, how are you going to find backers to do that? |
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hoyleysox
join:2003-11-07
Long Beach, CA | so what? Who else is going to compete in the industry?
yawn. Who else is going to buy the spectrum and build the towers to support it? Small upstarts can't afford to build a nationwide footprint. They would act as middlemen and re-sell the spectrum they purchased. |
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I Use Dial
join:2004-01-04
Morgan Hill, CA
clubs:
 ·Charter Pipeline
| The government creates the false competition
Just completely deregulate the air waves. You'll see innovation and growth in so many industries and in ways we never imagined and prices vs. features would drop and there would be so much choice it would be awesome. Not one government on this earth has the cojones to stand up to the telcoms.
--
Time... beckoning me. |
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moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by I Use Dial  :Just completely deregulate the air waves. You'll see innovation and growth in so many industries and in ways we never imagined and prices vs. features would drop and there would be so much choice it would be awesome. Not one government on this earth has the cojones to stand up to the telcoms. Impossible.
As soon as someone can't hear their radios on their way to work or someones cell phone has massive interference, there will be an even greater call for re-regulation.
Regulations are there for a reason and, mostly, it is our own fault. |
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I Use Dial
join:2004-01-04
Morgan Hill, CA
clubs: | How does wi-fi work? |
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CMoore2004
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Jonesville, MI
| By using a very low power signal that isn't usually strong enough to interfere with neighbors and most other devices. I see a lot of the home routers only putting out about 28mW. Do you think if there was deregulation and Sprint and a local WISP wanted to use the same frequency that they'd be using low enough power to not interfere? If things were deregulated, would I have to be sure my WiFi router doesn't interfere with your cellphone? What would stop me from putting up a tower and just blasting noise into the air because I hate people using cellphones? What about one of the little cell-phone blockers you can fit in your pocket? Would it be okay if I had one of those just driving down the road to make sure noone could talk? How about at the office? How about next door to your house? |
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I Use Dial
join:2004-01-04
Morgan Hill, CA
clubs:
·Charter Pipeline
| What if I drove around with a cell phone blocker today? Who is going to stop me? Is someone really going to spend the money to erect a tower to cancel out signals? That would be prohibitively expensive. If someone intentionally blocks my access to communications and emergency services, is that person not opening up him or herself to enormous litigation liabilities?
I can drive nearly anywhere in my town and almost never find fewer than 6 wi-fi networks on my computer's network finder, and in most cases more! Are these people all in combat with each other? Duking it out to see who has the most sophisticated electronics warfare technology? No! They are all getting along just fine, with rare exception, thanks to the free market. Did you use wireless networking in the '90's? Did your neighbor? Things were not nearly as easy as they are today, but the market caught up without need for regulation.
How does the highway system work? We have two vehicles in complete control of people, who may or may not be well trained, have any experience in driving, might not even speak the same language or be using well properly maintained vehicles, on a collision course with a combined impact speed of 120 mph, a lethal force for all parties. Yet they narrowly miss each other despite the fact that only 10% or less of the path they drive on is unoccupied! Amazing! And to think that it has happened every day for millions of people for how many year now?
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Time... beckoning me. |
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moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| said by I Use Dial :What if I drove around with a cell phone blocker today? Who is going to stop me? Is someone really going to spend the money to erect a tower to cancel out signals? That would be prohibitively expensive. If someone intentionally blocks my access to communications and emergency services, is that person not opening up him or herself to enormous litigation liabilities? Actually, causing interference intentionally can get you arrested. I do know of one case where a guy drove arond with an illegal CB amp and not only had all his stuff confiscated by the FCC (with the help of the Baltimore City Police Department) but he also got a $25,000 fine.
With no regulations, there would be no recourse.
said by I Use Dial :I can drive nearly anywhere in my town and almost never find fewer than 6 wi-fi networks on my computer's network finder, and in most cases more! Are these people all in combat with each other? Duking it out to see who has the most sophisticated electronics warfare technology? No! They are all getting along just fine, with rare exception, thanks to the free market. Did you use wireless networking in the '90's? Did your neighbor? Things were not nearly as easy as they are today, but the market caught up without need for regulation. Wi-Fi is low power and also protected in that SSIDs keep signals going to certain access points. Also, you do realize that Wi-Fi has standards ruled on by the IEEE. They did not develop in a vacuum and they do also have regulations, namely Part 15 rules.
Also, even the wireless router manuals tell you to change channels when you experience interference. Not to mention that 2.4Ghz cordless phones also interfere with B/G Wi-Fi signals.
said by I Use Dial :How does the highway system work? We have two vehicles in complete control of people, who may or may not be well trained, have any experience in driving, might not even speak the same language or be using well properly maintained vehicles, on a collision course with a combined impact speed of 120 mph, a lethal force for all parties. Yet they narrowly miss each other despite the fact that only 10% or less of the path they drive on is unoccupied! Amazing! And to think that it has happened every day for millions of people for how many year now? Highways are regulated with lane markings, barriers, speed limit signs, etc. No regulations and watch the accidents happen. Also, most signs are universal and most people understand what lane markings mean. WORST ANALOGY EVER!!!!
Try again. |
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SKYWARP
join:2005-02-02
Portland, OR
| reply to I Use Dial
We survive the road because there are rules and laws in place. lol
Not a very good analogy. The roads are regulated to be safe.
Go to a turd world country that has heavy traffic and no traffic laws. . .it's chaos and people get hurt all the damn time.
There has to be some regulation in place. |
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