FCC: 68% Of U.S. Connections Slower than 3 Mbps Down, 768kbps Up As critics say FCC reports still gloss over competitive shortcomings New data (pdf) from the FCC suggests that most consumers aren't getting speeds that technically adhere to the agency's new definition of broadband, which was recently changed to 4 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream. According to the study, more than two-thirds (68%) of the 90,963,000 U.S. broadband connections tracked were too slow down or upstream (or both) to technically qualify as high-speed service -- not even meeting 3Mbps/768 kbps. 58% of connections measured (76,594,000 connections) were slower than 3 Mbps downstream. 49% of connections (65,942,000 connections) featured upstream speeds slower than 768kbps. Some of those users may be on slow connections by choice. Some of those users may be on slow connections because the lack of any significant competition means companies aren't pressured to upgrade their networks. The FCC study doesn't specify because the FCC study doesn't take a real look at competition. As we've complained about for years, the FCC has traditionally made broadband policy decisions based on flawed and incomplete data. Part of the 1996 Telecom Act required that the agency release quarterly reports on the status of broadband deployment. Unfortunately for consumers, that data has always been slightly better than useless -- with the FCC declaring any zip code that has just one served broadband customer in it to be "wired" for service. This flawed methodology has dictated FCC policy for years. In recent years the FCC has paid a lot of lip service to better data collection, which has resulted in a few improvements -- such as raising the speed benchmark to 4 Mbps. Still, the FCC keeps much of the real data on competition from public viewing, and the data that is released tends to gloss over the fact that most consumers have the choice of just one or two providers. This latest report didn't sit well with consumer advocacy group Free Press, who says the FCC still isn't adhering to promises made as part of the national broadband plan: "The FCC continues its practice of releasing highly flawed and misleading analysis about the broadband marketplace that grossly overstates the level of broadband competition. The shortcomings in this report are inexcusable and suggest that Chairman Genachowski's commitment to run a 'data-driven' agency is thus far just an empty slogan.
“In 2008, the Commission made major changes to its broadband data collection practices. The new data was intended to allow the agency to examine the relationship between market concentration and broadband quality, price and adoption. But instead, the FCC continues to fail to take advantage of this information, choosing to publish misleading analysis in the same mold as the widely criticized reports released under Chairman Michael Powell and Chairman Kevin Martin. Of course if FCC releases data showing how the United States broadband market suffers from a significant lack of competition, then somebody might actually notice that the FCC's national broadband plan fails utterly to do anything about it.
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 | | Uh, no It doesn't reflect real-world results. I routinely see 25Mb from my service with extended downloads (eg Usenet), and 50-60Mb from speedtests thanks to powerboost and DOCSIS 3. From the FCC test I was lucky to see over 12Mb.
All these speed tests indicate is speed test server performance or at best congestion between the end user's ISP and the test server.
Obviously we all know there are many factors that impact speed that are beyond the control of the ISP.
Lastly, this also indicates what people are BUYING, not what is available to them. Verizon for example offers 50Mb service, but looking at VZ's speed test results here, the vast majority just buy the basic tier. I suspect that this is the case with other operators like Cox, Comcast, TWC etc although the tests are obscrured by the effects of powerboost.
Speedtest.net has speed test servers all over the world and and they offer detailed results pages showing US average 9.89/2.64Mb. Not really something to crow about (US is ranked 32nd in download), but not the 3rd world result being portrayed. And Speedtest.net's sample comes from over 200 million tests from over 44 million individual IPs. | |
|  | BlueC
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Minneapolis, MN | Re: Uh, no said by IDontBuyIt :Speedtest.net has speed test servers all over the world and and they offer detailed results pages showing US average 9.89/2.64Mb. Not really something to crow about (US is ranked 32nd in download), but not the 3rd world result being portrayed. And Speedtest.net's sample comes from over 200 million tests from over 44 million individual IPs.
Speedtest.net doesn't accurately detail what "real world" speeds a user can obtain IMO. What's to stop an ISP from prioritizing traffic to that site? Sure, the numbers will look great on there (still ignoring the fact that its an HTTP speed test), but what about on 99.999% of other websites?
You can have a dedicated 100mbps/100mbps connection and with no link congestion on your end, you'll never see the full 100mbps upload on speedtest.net. Yet you can upload a file to a server 1000 miles away and see the full 100mbps throughput. On the flipside, you might see a gracious amount of download speed listed on speedtest.net, yet struggle to get maybe 1/2 or 3/4 of that speed downloading a file.
So the question is, what's the point of those numbers from speedtest.net if you can't obtain them anywhere else? Bragging rights? It's like buying a car advertised to hit 120mph, yet you have a hard time getting it to hit 90mph even the in best environment. What's the point?
I do agree there are users that choose a lower speed tier. But I also think ISPs can do a better job upgrading their "economy" tiers to meet the FCCs standards. I also think there are a lot of areas neglected in this country. And i'm not talking 500 miles outside of a major metropolitan area, there are areas just 15-20 minutes from a major city that have very few wireline options, and those existing options are limited regarding throughput speed. There are still a lot of DSL customers out there today sharing a single T1. Makes me wonder what's the point of the USF when we still struggle to get major telcos to build out their networks. | |
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| Uh No, indeed. It doesn't reflect real-world results. I routinely see 25Mb from my service with extended downloads (eg Usenet), and 50-60Mb from speedtests thanks to powerboost and DOCSIS 3. From the FCC test I was lucky to see over 12Mb. | |
| | |  en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: Uh No, indeed. Did the FCC ever check to see if people wanted to pay for more than 3Mbps ?
For years, I could have been on either Comcast (now TWC) or AT&T Uverse but can choose to go on DSL-Extreme 3Mbps/512kbps service for cost savings.
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| Re: Uh No, indeed. said by en102:Did the FCC ever check to see if people wanted to pay for more than 3Mbps ?
My choices:
• 3M/768k for $32 per month
• 15M/2M for $50 per month
I have 3M/768k for $32. I can't afford to pay an extra $216 per year for higher speeds.
I don't want higher speeds, I want lower prices!
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| | | | | en102Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | Re: Uh No, indeed. My point exactly. Back then, I could have paid Comcast ~$45/month for HSI, + $60 for TV, and still had to find phone service ( VoIP wasnt' supported then), - AT&T had $35-$40 unlimited packages (+fees)
Since I needed phone service anyways, DSL was $19/month, DTV was $45.
I would have slower service but TWC 10Mbps bundle is cheaper than if I request a lower speed. They'd charge me $10/month more for a slower data rate.
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| | | | |  alchav
join:2002-05-17
Palm Desert, CA | said by Bobcat79:said by en102:Did the FCC ever check to see if people wanted to pay for more than 3Mbps ?
My choices: • 3M/768k for $32 per month • 15M/2M for $50 per month I have 3M/768k for $32. I can't afford to pay an extra $216 per year for higher speeds. I don't want higher speeds, I want lower prices! This is the Average Person talking, they don't want to spend over $40/mo, and 3Mps is plenty. Most of the time this person doesn't care or even know what speed they have. Make it faster than Dial-up and Cheap! | |
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| | | | Form 477 only shows what your customers are subscribing to not what they could subscribe to. It also does not take into account what someone could subscribe with another provider.
The fastest speeds my mom could subscribe to 6Mb DSL, Uverse, Cable at up to 100Mb, or Fiber at upto 1Gb. She is just fine with the 3Mb DSL she has. Form 477 will not refelct anything more than the 3Mb she currently subscribes to. | |
| | | | | | Re: Uh No, indeed. up to includes 0mbps | |
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| Re: Uh, no You're missing the boat. Maybe you can get 25 Mbps service and that's great for you.
I can guarantee you that right now in Missouri the only internet is in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Springfield and maybe Branson. What about the thousands of other cities who are still on dial up.
I myself live in a Charter territory. I have NO internet, period. I have no digital cable. I had to build my own long haul wireless network just to get anything out here and it's not because I live in the middle of nowhere because within a few miles I can get 60 Mbps. Charter told me 'we might upgrade in a few years. My guess is they'll upgrade when someone else steps in and starts offering service in their territory.
Fact is unless you live in a heavily populated area you'll be lucky to see 3 Mbps because in a land coverage comparison only about 10% of this country actually has anything but dial up. | |
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 LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 |  Report does show lack of competition
Of course if FCC releases data showing how the United States broadband market suffers from a significant lack of competition, then somebody might actually notice that the FCC's national broadband plan fails utterly to do anything about it.
If you look at the last 2 columns, you can see the numbers of vendors offering the higher speeds drops significantly. And that is mainly because telco DSL has not kept up with the cable providers. | |
| | | eh I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
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| | | | Re: eh said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
It has become a right however and the gov't should have everything to do with it, as it has become more and more mandatory to have, look at the business world as example. Without regulation, you get corruption and the consumers getting bent over.
Enough with the big business BS and we falling behind the rest of the world with technology, because of greed.
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| | | LinklistPremium
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Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | Re: eh said by HotRodFoto:Enough with the big business BS and we falling behind the rest of the world with technology, because of greed.
Greed is good. The point is that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of it’s forms - greed for life, for money, knowledge - has marked the upward surge of mankind and greed will save that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA. | |
| | | | | | Re: eh (I'm hoping you're being sarcastic. I can't really tell when I read your posts, but if not...)
So you are unaware of the recent financial difficulties, the bailouts, the credit crunch, the housing market fiasco (home value dropped another $1.7 trillion, so much for the American dream), etc...
Let me say this again to all you free market types: Capitalism without regulation is a failure. Left to it's own devices, capitalists have shown time and again that their "greed" will get them into trouble. How many corporations have to be saved by the very people they screw over before you wake up and realize regulation (done right) is a good thing? How much do we have to spend helping out corporations that turn right back around and screw us over yet again? | |
| | | | | BlueC
join:2009-11-26
Minneapolis, MN | Re: eh He wasn't being sarcastic, he's quoting something that I'm sure most of us have heard before. 
There's no perfect system. We'll always be plagued by society and it's high contrast of personalities. You could create the perfect system and still get someone in power that finds away around all the obstacles to get what they want done. It's a motivation factor.
Even with regulations in place (yes, there are many in the telecommunications industry), there's a lot of crap that goes on because of motivation. If someone wants to limit the growth of the company and has the power to do so, they'll do it. Regulation CAN be a bad thing. It can further complicate an industry and inhibit growth by discouraging start-ups, leaving us with a stagnant market with old companies that have no motivation to improve. (Hey, that kind of sounds like what we're dealing with....)
But I'm talking too much regulation.
There has to be a balance and I don't think any of us have the capability (knowledge, experience, understanding) to know what that "perfect" balance is today. You'd have to fully understand society first....  | |
| | | | | | | said by vzw emp :(I'm hoping you're being sarcastic. I can't really tell when I read your posts, but if not...)
So you are unaware of the recent financial difficulties, the bailouts, the credit crunch, the housing market fiasco (home value dropped another $1.7 trillion, so much for the American dream), etc...
Let me say this again to all you free market types: Capitalism without regulation is a failure. Left to it's own devices, capitalists have shown time and again that their "greed" will get them into trouble. How many corporations have to be saved by the very people they screw over before you wake up and realize regulation (done right) is a good thing? How much do we have to spend helping out corporations that turn right back around and screw us over yet again?
So the 10,000 new codes of regulations added by the federal government each and every year is a free market? really?? we havent had a largely free market since before FDR. many would claim since before Wilson. even then, we've very largely free in most respects until the 60s and 70s. We've been losing personal and business freedom with almost every administration since Lincoln, yet despite this we've grown to become the world superpower entirely because of the unlocked potential capitalism offers...
If you dont believe capitalism works, go live in Europe for a few years and see how awesome it is for the central government to run utilities and provide healthcare services...waiting 6 months or a year for basic surgeries or trying to clear up billing disputes over water or electricity usage.
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| | | | | |  KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | Re: eh said by Somnambul33t:If you dont believe capitalism works, go live in Europe for a few years and see how awesome it is for the central government to run utilities and provide healthcare services...waiting 6 months or a year for basic surgeries or trying to clear up billing disputes over water or electricity usage.
Yawn. Same talking points. Funny how most people who actually do live there don't agree with you.
Oh and speaking of billing disputes try dealing with overbilling and fraudulent billing here for medical services... from "debt collection services"... yadda yadda. Just try it. Good luck with that.
Seems like people forget first came the abuse THEN the regulation. Well that's how it was till Corporations and their lobbyists took over, now they pass regulations to protect their profits and marginalize or block competition, consumer advocacy, etc etc
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| | | | | | | | | Re: eh said by KrK:said by Somnambul33t:If you dont believe capitalism works, go live in Europe for a few years and see how awesome it is for the central government to run utilities and provide healthcare services...waiting 6 months or a year for basic surgeries or trying to clear up billing disputes over water or electricity usage.
Yawn. Same talking points. Funny how most people who actually do live there don't agree with you. Oh and speaking of billing disputes try dealing with overbilling and fraudulent billing here for medical services... from "debt collection services"... yadda yadda. Just try it. Good luck with that. Seems like people forget first came the abuse THEN the regulation. Well that's how it was till Corporations and their lobbyists took over, now they pass regulations to protect their profits and marginalize or block competition, consumer advocacy, etc etc lol 6 months for a surgery as he said lol That is hysterical, all GOP propaganda. Kind of funny seeing as how I lived in Germany amongst it's citizens, non-military and was insured by AOK »www.aok.de/bundesweit/ and saw doctors at any chance I wanted to, there were no lines, nada...this kind of stuff cracks me up coming from people who haven't a clue how things really work, and have had their minds and souls completely bought and paid for by a political party, backed by the very industry that wants them to believe national health care is bad, because they may lose profits from denying people care while still making us pay the highest drug prices in the world lol Some people I guess never learn huh? I almost feel sorry for him.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Re: eh can't speak on those 2 but I would say this, at least there they do actually GET care, compared to the millions who don't here because they can't afford it. The system caters to those who have the most $ here and IMO that is wrong, both morally and ethically. Your life is not worth less or more than any one person. We are all equal.
I do like though in the UK that the clerk window is where they can give you taxi fair for a ride home. Here, it is to pay the bill. That is pretty cool.
"* The United States had the largest percentage of persons (61%) who said that getting care on nights, weekends, or holidays, without going to the emergency room, was “very” or “somewhat” difficult. In Canada, it was 54%, and in the U.K, 38%. Germany did the best, with only 22% saying that it was difficult to get after-hours care."
No joke at all there. As far as wait times go, I have waited quite a long time here and I know several others have too, and I wonder if they are taking in to account the time it takes for your insurance company to 'approve' if you can have a test or not...MRI as an example. That though says it all with what is wrong with the system here, doctors should be deciding that, not a person behind a desk at Cigna.
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| | | | | | | | | | LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | Re: eh said by HotRodFoto:Your life is not worth less or more than any one person. We are all equal.
We are all born equal. But after living for some period of time, some become leaches on society and other contribute. The leaches are less equal and they should be. | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Re: eh said by Linklist:said by HotRodFoto:Your life is not worth less or more than any one person. We are all equal.
We are all born equal. But after living for some period of time, some become leaches on society and other contribute. The leaches are less equal and they should be. we're all born equal but that doesnt mean we're guaranteed the same result in life. Liberals want to make the wealthy poor to "close the income gap". what this really is is trying to re-instate this "equality", which really only destroys society. when you tell the "rich" they can't be that rich anymore, they either go somewhere else or stop creating jobs.
I hate all the class warfare on the left. they pit citizen vs citizen trying to push their statist agenda. It's supposed to be the people and the states keeping the federal government's power in check, and by creating in-fighting, the left distracts the people while they move in and grasp more and more power.
Control over your health care, they're pushing legislation to control what you can and cant eat, they've banned certain toilets and light bulbs, mandate car standards, investment standards, ...what can't they control??
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| | | | | | | | | | | said by HotRodFoto:No joke at all there. As far as wait times go, I have waited quite a long time here and I know several others have too, and I wonder if they are taking in to account the time it takes for your insurance company to 'approve' if you can have a test or not...MRI as an example. That though says it all with what is wrong with the system here, doctors should be deciding that, not a person behind a desk at Cigna. In single payer countries you have to wait for a government bureaucrat to 'approve' if you can have a test or not. At least with an insurance company you have recourse if they refuse and they give you a relatively quick decision. a bureaucrat in a government health agency has no incentive whatsoever to give you a timely decision, let alone care if you ever get treated.
Government is the most uncompassionate entity in America and it's 10x worse in the european socialist countries.
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| | | | | | >>So you are unaware of the recent financial difficulties, the
>>bailouts, the credit crunch, the housing market fiasco (home
>>value dropped another $1.7 trillion, so much for the American
>>dream), etc...
All caused by stinking government regulation. Bankers forced to loan to people based on anything but their ability or intent to pay. It's theft of money from Peter to purchase Paul's vote. Bailouts are another word for government destroying an industry so that it can come in and take over, after it was power hungry government scum that destroyed the industry in the first place.
Lousy Communists (DimRats) and Fascists (Repubs) are disgusting to a thinking man. And the media pretends that somewhere between Communists and Fascists is where the "moderate" man is. Give me a break. Doesn't anyone give a damn about freedom any more? | |
| | | | | | | | Re: eh said by PaulLaufer:>> Bankers forced to loan to people based on anything but their ability or intent to pay. WHA? who exactly do you think forced the banks to approve that $500k mortgauge to a guy with 8 kids who makes $9.50 an hour? who signed off on all these subprime loans that were then defaulted on? the government??
the banks saw a potential to make some higher interest returns. they ignored the applicants ability to repay these loans. then when the mortguages were defaulted on, the banks should have been alowed to go under for their mistakes; they had gambled and lost. instead my tax dollars were used to keep the banks from going BANKrupt. i do not see how the banks were forced into this situation; it was their choice to take extra risk. it ended up not working and the US taxpayer is left with the bill. | |
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| | | | | Some greed is good, but there comes a point, when there is nothing left to take, that greed become bad. Greed taken to extreme is gluttony; one of the 7 deadly sins... Balance is best. Let the little "sheeple" fatten themselves up a bit before the slaughter...
8-) | |
| | | | KrKHeavy Artillery For The Little GuyPremium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK | Greed has destroyed the USA. Profit over ethics, fight dirty to make money, screw everyone else, as long as I get mine.
These are not values. They are vices, and we're going to all pay for it in spades.
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| Re: eh Agree. I had these "best friends" who screwed me over for greed! Of power, acceptance and recognition of their fratty big boys! It never mattered that spent many weekends with them, got them something for their 21+ and even saved one of them from potential problems when the moron got drunk and forgot where he was going in the middle of cold night in nowhere in city. So much I got in appreciation, that almost 10 guys in their pack did not like me. I guess its all because somebody rumored I am "fag". :/ It is freaking stupid. | |
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| | | | said by HotRodFoto:said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
It has become a right however and the gov't should have everything to do with it, as it has become more and more mandatory to have, look at the business world as example. Without regulation, you get corruption and the consumers getting bent over. Enough with the big business BS and we falling behind the rest of the world with technology, because of greed. It's not a right in any way, especially @ the Federal level. If broadband is a right, where do the rights stop? Right to a home? Right to health insurance? Right to food? Right to baseball tickets?? Right to a computer???
If something like broadband becomes a "right" then there's nothing stopping anything else from becoming a right as well. broadband isn't sacred...
Is telephone service a right? what about cable television? When do the rights stop? The answer is in the Constitution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. The only way to make broadband a right to every American is to create an Amendment saying it is so. Until then, it's nothing besides an awesome technology that improves many qualities of life.
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| | | | | | Re: eh It is becoming a right big time, unless you don't think things like water, electricity, telephone, etc are also a right too? It is called evolution. People like you crack me up, if you had your way we would all be living in 1770. Health care is certainly a right, and to a extent it already is, as ER's can't turn you away. It is law.
Broadband will be a right quite soon, and you can say what you will but it is already happening in several countries, and Finland was the first »www.icenews.is/index.php/2010/07···nto-law/
lol The Constitution hey? I think you forget something here, we COMPETE on the world stage, period. We either get with the times or we completely slide down farther. Wake the hell up, we are already losing.
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| | | said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
You are correct in that it isn't a right but it is becoming a necessity which is why they were talking about reclassifying it so that the FCC can get the power it needs to enforce it but first they have to grow a backbone and not be persuaded by the heavy-hitter ISPs into thinking a certain way. | |
| | | | Is power a right? What about water and sewage.
Government gets involved in utilities for a lot of very good reasons, and at this point internet is almost as necessary as a utility | |
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See 13 replies to this post | |
|  BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
Well I guess electricity and running water should be rights either. My great grandparents did just fine without either. We have an Amish commuity nearby that does just fine without either.
I find it hallarious how many of the HAVES try to tell the HAVE NOTS what they do or do not "deserve". | |
| | | | | Re: eh said by BF69:said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
Well I guess electricity and running water should be rights either. My great grandparents did just fine without either. We have an Amish commuity nearby that does just fine without either. I find it hallarious how many of the HAVES try to tell the HAVE NOTS what they do or do not "deserve". electricity and running water ARE NOT RIGHTS! They've never been "rights" yet we've had widespread electricity for about a hundred years. Just because it's not a right doesnt mean it wont be available... telephones werent a right yet almost every house had one within really 30 years of its invention. Same with electricity, running water, and yes, broadband.
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| | | | BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | Re: eh said by Somnambul33t:said by BF69:said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
Well I guess electricity and running water should be rights either. My great grandparents did just fine without either. We have an Amish commuity nearby that does just fine without either. I find it hallarious how many of the HAVES try to tell the HAVE NOTS what they do or do not "deserve". electricity and running water ARE NOT RIGHTS! They've never been "rights" yet we've had widespread electricity for about a hundred years. Just because it's not a right doesnt mean it wont be available... telephones werent a right yet almost every house had one within really 30 years of its invention. Same with electricity, running water, and yes, broadband. Um yeah kind of my point. | |
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| Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA | said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
It only seems that way because the FCC is now in areas, such as threatening the very existence of free TV, where it shouldn't be. The FCC should stick to preventing excessive RF interference, regulating the Emergency Alert System, and licensing broadcasters and other users of RF spectrum according to the public interest and not corporate greed. | |
| |  Luker3
join:2004-10-09
Blacksburg, VA | The internet has become just as important as a utility. I like to compare it to road. There are business that sole use the internet for selling and promoting their products. Governments should want to encourage businesses to start up online by designating high speed internet connections utilities like we do roads. They are the connection between the consumers and businesses.
Think about it, the internet has always been referred to as the information superhighway. | |
| | | | said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
It sounds like you really know nothing about the FCC and its responsibilities. It also sounds like you think we don't need the government doing anything in regard to business.
With that it mind, I have a splendid idea for you. Please take your next vacation in the real land of the free, someplace void of smothering government rules and regulations -- Somalia. Tell us how it was, if you survive. | |
| | | LinklistPremium
join:2002-03-03
Longport, NJ
kudos:5 | Re: eh said by ruraltn:It sounds like you really know nothing about the FCC and its responsibilities. It also sounds like you think we don't need the government doing anything in regard to business.
With that it mind, I have a splendid idea for you. Please take your next vacation in the real land of the free, someplace void of smothering government rules and regulations -- Somalia. Tell us how it was, if you survive.
I tire of seeing that analogy of Somalia being some kind of libertarian nirvana. It is nothing of the sort. It is just a government controlled by criminal gangs and not an example of government non-interference and no regulation. It's use by non-libertarian opponents is a joke. | |
| | | | | said by ruraltn:said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
It sounds like you really know nothing about the FCC and its responsibilities. It also sounds like you think we don't need the government doing anything in regard to business. With that it mind, I have a splendid idea for you. Please take your next vacation in the real land of the free, someplace void of smothering government rules and regulations -- Somalia. Tell us how it was, if you survive. Who said i dont want any laws? Lack of property rights, aka laws, is the single biggest reason for any country to be stuck in poverty. If someone isnt guaranteed ownership of their property, how can they start a business, expand it, or sell it?
If you think somalia is a great example of a "libertarian" society, you're obviously an idiot. We want laws that allow businesses to make their own decisions, and we want laws applied fairly and evenly to every business; not giving exemptions to some b/c of political favors (that's called crony capitalism, not capitalism). We want laws to be clear and precise so there's no doubt what is OK and what is illegal. We want laws to be simple to understand and that leave market decisions to the companies and not have the government tell us what we can and can't do to make money. We want markets left alone and we don't want subsidies of any kind, for any reason, ever. We believe the Federal government's single, only job is to follow the Constitution as written; to secure our freedoms by protecting the country and to act as referee between the states and national companies. We believe everything else is left up to the state and local governments.
if you think us anarchists, you're an idiot. We want to be left alone by the government. We want to pay taxes for the Federal government to protect us and settle disputes across state lines. You know, like the Constitution says...
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| | | said by Somnambul33t:I dont give one crap what the FCC says about anything...it's one of the most unnecessary government agencies in the country, at that's saying a lot...
who cares what speed of broadband a government body says everyone should have? Internet isn't a right and the Federal government should have absolutely nothing, at all, to do with it.
I do blame the government for not warning us that they did an early release of Ted Kaczynski. Now its time for you to back up to the hills to your one-room hut!! | |
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Reviews:
·Comcast
·Verizon FiOS
·MSN
| Standard DSL can't do over 768K uploads I haven't seen a standard DSL package yet that offers over 768 kbps on uploads-and Verizon's most popular (read: affordable) DSL is 3.0/768. BOTH speeds don't qualify as broadband. Since Verizon has also not been rolling out any remote terminals, the best DSL speeds we can get at one of our company buildings is 768/384. This is PATHETIC for 2010! | |
| |  IowaManPremium
join:2008-08-21
Grinnell, IA | Re: Standard DSL can't do over 768K uploads Wow,
I live in the middle of Iowa (about)
and the slowest downstream from both Cable & DSL is 3Mbps!
What is Verizon doing? | |
|
WhatNowPremium
join:2009-05-06
Charlotte, NC | Two sides There is a lot we want and then there is what we are willing to pay for. If everybody is willing to put up a couple thousand dollars for each house then we could have FTTH. If not then it will get done when there is enough profit for someone to do it. The speeds are going and new equipment is being replaced and upgraded it is just not going to happen in one or two years.
One problem with too much competition is when you divide the customers up between to many vendors no one makes a profit. Look at the airlines we get cheaper prices but almost every airline has declared bankruptcy. The industry has not really made any money over its history. Your cheap tickets have come from shaking down the last investors in the game when they declare bankruptcy. If they had to close the doors it would be different but they just reduce their costs at the investors and small vendors suppliers expense.
Don't look for a lot of expansion right now with the customers and ISPs trying to cut expenses. | |
|  PashuneCaps stifle innovationPremium
join:2006-04-14
Gautier, MS | Most people have 1.5 MBit DSL in my neighborhood... Hate to say it, but I'll be another person to say that the average joe probably doesn't need more than 3 mbit; he just doesn't want to pay $53 per month or higher for 10 mbit cable internet.
I mean, I'm almost baffled as to why there are so many 2WIRE access points popping up all over my neighborhood with the occasional Linksys or Motorola, baffled because the telco lines here are notorious for high line attenuation and poor SNR due to loop length; they'll get 1.5 mbit stable sync at best. Man, I feel sorry for all of those people randomly losing sync throughout the summer while my cable connection just chugs along. That might change soon though; V-RADs are popping up all over the place here. Heck, there's one only about 3,000 ft away or so.
I don't pay for TV, so I really benefit from having 10 mbit.
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TV: It's like the Internet only you can visit only 30-100 different sites, ever, and there's no adblock. -dwai | |
| jdrch
join:2010-12-09
Savoy, IL | People don't necessarily use the fastest service available I think a major weakness with this study is that people don't necessarily use the fastest service available to them. In fact, I know many people who just go for the cheapest internet package available, which typically leads to low speeds. Worse, most people don't even know what the advertised speed for the service they use is. | |
| | | Always blame the ISP. Users don't want to pay what higher speed broadband costs? It MUST be the ISP's fault. ISPs are evil, after all, for wanting to charge at least what the connection costs. Or so Karl seems to say at every opportunity. | |
| | Reviews:
·Charter
| Re: Always blame the ISP. said by SuperWISP:Users don't want to pay what higher speed broadband costs? It MUST be the ISP's fault. ISPs are evil, after all, for wanting to charge at least what the connection costs. Or so Karl seems to say at every opportunity.
Strange then because as the price of data over the backbone drops the ISP's keep charging us more and claim it's over costs. Just ask Charter who disguised it's latest price hikes as caps. You pay more for less. | |
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| | Stingy Uploads... slow uploads have always hampered many things that could be done on the Internet. So many great things consumers could do.
And the Cloud... it won't take off if it can't be written too fast enough. | |
| | | so sickening my only option is satellite internet where i live and we have only one choice for telephone service. curse you frontier | |
| bn1221
join:2009-04-29
Cortland, NY Reviews:
·RoadRunner Cable
| The FCC is whacked People like me that are rarely home - I'd do 19.95 for 1024/384K dry loop but Verizon nerfed that tier. TWC is 49.99 for 10/1 mbit. I watch old shows on Neflix and while TWC has a 34.99 Lite 768K plan the tv sputters a bit. I locked the port on my Roku to 1 Mbit and I got 2-3 dot streaming. So I know a 1Mbit will do it. I think TWC does too and thats why the Lite is onl7 768... | |
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