dslreports logo
 
    All Forums Hot Topics Gallery
spc
Search similar:


uniqs
85
egilbe
join:2011-03-07

egilbe

Member

Corporate lawmaking is Fascism at its finest

I have no other option to Time-Warner Cable. 3mb/s DSL is not competition. I'm all for anything that would give me a viable option to my current choice.

I hate that our country has become fascist disguised as a Representative Republic.

karpodiem
Hail to The Victors
Premium Member
join:2008-05-20
Troy, MI

1 recommendation

karpodiem

Premium Member

Does there exist an open-source/community curated map of available broadband options overlaid on Google maps/OpenStreetMap?

Before you define the scope of the problem, we need to have accurate data. It would be very beneficial to plugin an address, see the speed tiers/pricing for that location amongst multiple ISPs.

Of course, no ISP is going to provide an API for that information but I would love to call/bug the sales group at an ISP or plug it into their website to see what speed tiers are available.

Their greatest weapon against the public is having this black box. No one really understands how bad the problem is.

We need an open source/open data solution to this. Like a Hipmunk/Kayak for broadband. Could this be done on DSLR?

fg8578
join:2009-04-26
San Antonio, TX

fg8578

Member

said by karpodiem:

Does there exist an open-source/community curated map of available broadband options overlaid on Google maps/OpenStreetMap?

Not that I'm aware of, and it's not likely to happen anytime soon. The exact location of broadband facilities is considered competitively sensitive information by ISPs, which is why the granularity of the federal broadband map goes down as far as census tracts but no farther.

karpodiem
Hail to The Victors
Premium Member
join:2008-05-20
Troy, MI

1 recommendation

karpodiem

Premium Member

no reason why the public couldn't pry it out of them with crowdsourced address inputs on the service provider's own website.

in any case, they do it because they can. doesn't mean we couldn't tease it out of them, if approached correctly.

I don't think having service information made publicly available is a trade secret, or would hold up in court. they might attempt to take you to court over it, but the whole absurdity of obfuscating information available to potential consumers wouldn't be worth the massive beating they would take in PR.

No
@66.249.83.x

No to egilbe

Anon

to egilbe
said by egilbe:

I hate that our country has become fascist disguised as a Representative Republic.

Last time I looked all bills were introduced by ELECTED lawmakers and passage of bills needed a majority of our elected representatives. If it is suggested these lawmakers are corrupt, that problem can be remedied at election time. Of course, we have voters who are lazy and stupid, so we get what we deserve.
Kearnstd
Space Elf
Premium Member
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd

Premium Member

If only picking who to put into power had not become "Pick the least corrupt of the two".

That is the problem today no matter who you vote for and which party you vote for both reds and blues are in the pockets of the corporations and their lobbyists. Go Ahead and write your senator, I bet your letter does not get beyond the secretary. However if you are a lobbyist and include a $10k+ donation to their party in said letter you can bet that gets in the express lane to their desk.

Ramada WR
@70.167.86.x

Ramada WR to karpodiem

Anon

to karpodiem
FCC MAP: »www.fcc.gov/maps/broadba ··· lability
National Broadband Map: »broadbandmap.gov/

No pricing information is available, so you will have to call, chat, or e-mail to get the cost information. I think you can search down to the census block level in the National Broadband Map.

Sometimes a state will have its own website that provides additional information about service areas. Again there will be no pricing information, you have to do that work on your own.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Which is borderline impossible given the layers of bundles discounts, grandfathering, time-limited promotions, etc.

Ramada WR
@70.167.86.x

Ramada WR to karpodiem

Anon

to karpodiem
In order to provide the general public with a good analysis of what internet service is available, and at what cost, it may not be necessary to use a large amount of crowd sourced results from inputting addresses to ISPs websites. All that might be required is to get a large nationally representative sample of people to supply their present ISP's advertised data rates(up and down) and the amount they pay for that service. The Facebook, or another social media service, may be the best way to gather up this information, using an appeal to the social media service's participants.
Ramada WR

Ramada WR to Karl Bode

Anon

to Karl Bode
So you play hardball. When doing comparisons of ISPs or pay TV service I throw out the limited time promotions. I average DirecTV month 1 with month 24 and get a good estimate of the real average monthly cost. I do the same with Cox's internet service offers. Read the fine print and run the numbers. Sure it takes some time and an understanding of how to get a reasonable average using the increasing monthly costs, but it is possible. You have to have the same determination and stamina as the people who piece together shredded documents during an investigation. Similar to the old time reporters who walked for miles, knocking on doors, day and night, 7 days a week, for weeks on end, until they got as much of the entire real story as possible.
WhatNow
Premium Member
join:2009-05-06
Charlotte, NC

WhatNow to Kearnstd

Premium Member

to Kearnstd
I don't know about Senators but Rep offices do respond to letters. I live in the part of our state that has been forgotten and got worse when all the cotton mills work moved to Asia. Sent an e-mail that the area could use some help and was surprised when I got a call from the Reps staff member. I would also get notices of invites to listen in on conference calls with the Rep.

I have seen several posts on different sites that original letters and e-mails do get attention from staff. The copied e-mails not as much. I will agree a large donation may get you a call from the top guy but I did want to point out a letter or e-mail is not ignored and just dumped in the trash.