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FCC Free Broadband Plan Going Nowhere Fast
Vote delayed as incumbents mount opposition....

Last fall the FCC denied (pdf) a request by M2Z networks that would have offered free nationwide broadband using a 20MHz chunk of unused spectrum in the 2GHz band. The plan called for the government to provide the spectrum free in exchange for 5% of the company's revenue. The company promised to offer 384kbps free (content filtered) service and a $20-$30 3Mbps tier to 95% of the country in ten years.

M2Z argued at the time that that FCC loyalty to incumbent operators impacted the decision. The FCC counter-argued that the M2Z plan offered slow speeds, and called the M2Z deployment benchmarks both "misleading" and "not particularly aggressive." M2Z initially talked about taking their fight to court, but instead lobbied Rep. Anna Eshoo to push the plan through congress under the guise of the Wireless Internet Nationwide for Families Act.

The Act is essentially M2Z's original proposal but with one hitch: instead of the FCC giving M2Z the spectrum they need outright, the spectrum would be auctioned off with the condition that the winner build out the network to cover 95% of the country (something nobody but M2Z wants to attempt). At the same time (or to pre-empt the act), the FCC crafted their own similar proposal for national wireless broadband (at speeds at least 768kbps).

This entire affair has been a political knot that I'm not sure even those involved in fully understand, but one thing is clear: incumbent wireless carriers don't like the idea, and they run the show in Washington. With pressure from incumbents, it looks like the FCC has delayed their vote on the project. I'm thinking this is one plan that's going nowhere, fast, thanks to lobbyist gridlock. If it isn't killed outright, it will be delayed incessantly.

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jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Here's what I hear

Promises, excuses, bickering.... I'll do it, no you'll do it. I want this for free or low cost and then I promise my plan works. FCC, no no we'll do it ourselves. End result, a whole lot of arguing, a whole lot of wasted cash on "studying", and nothing to show for it. Who wants to bet this is the ultimate outcome?

battleop
join:2005-09-28
00000

battleop

Member

Nothing...

is free.

leeksys
@verizon.net

leeksys

Anon

Re: Nothing...

said by battleop:

is free.
no but leeksys (linksys) users try hard, so you don't have to...

If Verizon & others could somehow plug that loophole, they'd do it... because they want to sell wireless broadband.. hard to do when leeksys it spewing it across the footprint!

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

FCC Did The Right Thing

quote:
... but instead lobbied Rep. Anna Eshoo to push the plan through congress under the guise of the Wireless Internet Nationwide for Families Act.
XYZ "for families?" What kind of BS is this? Where is it listed in the Constitution that you have a right government-provided Internet? Does making it "for families" make it better?

Gas is $4 a gallon, we have troops in harm's way, food inflation is through the roof, we have 20 million illegals infesting our country, shouldn't Congress be wasting our time dealing with these more pressing matters instead of this BS? Maybe they should vote themselves another raise instead!
quote:
... the spectrum would be auctioned off with the condition that the winner build out the network to cover 95% of the country ...
This is a good thing. At least now we can determine the fair market value of this project, and we'll be compensated accordingly.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

quote:
XYZ "for families?" What kind of BS is this? Where is it listed in the Constitution that you have a right government-provided Internet? Does making it "for families" make it better?
Made a little dumber by the fact these filters never work.

Martin's FCC plans also has filters as a cornerstone of the service. Have to please to "family values" groups in the south if you're going to have a post-FCC political career in the Carolinas....

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

said by Karl Bode:

Made a little dumber by the fact these filters never work.
Technical considerations aside, I could see a potential market for filtered Internet, considering there is a plethora of products and services on the market already that claim to provide such service.
said by Karl Bode:

Martin's FCC plans also has filters as a cornerstone of the service. Have to please to "family values" groups in the south if you're going to have a post-FCC political career in the Carolinas....
That's plausible, but I would think that such considerations might have also been attached to other spectrum sales if that was the case.
88615298 (banned)
join:2004-07-28
West Tenness

88615298 (banned) to pnh102

Member

to pnh102
said by pnh102:

XYZ "for families?" What kind of BS is this? Where is it listed in the Constitution that you have a right government-provided Internet? Does making it "for families" make it better?
Where is it in the constitution people have a right to running water, electricty or phone service? It's not but no one would argue that making sure small rual areas had access to water electricy and at have the ability to order phone service was the right thing to do. Do you think it was profitable at the time to build out electrical systems to town of juts acouple hundred people? Hell no. Of coruse those electric companies have made all that investment back and then some. In the end as a nation we are better off that 20% of our population doesn't live in areas that have no electricy or running water or phone service.

All that being said, I don't mind this idea. It doesn't mean it has to be FREE. My best friend lives a few miles out of town and his only option for anything other than dial-up is crappy expensive satelite. Giving him some other option since the telcos and cable companies don't seem to want his money, would be nice.

See once this gets going and the cable companies and telcoss see just how many MILLIONS of people actually want something other than dial-up they'll start building out. Also satelite companies will have no choice but to lower their prices and provide better service if they want to keep what few customers they have. win win. As I said I doesn't have to be a free servcie.

Scatcatpdx
Fur It Up
join:2007-06-22
Portland, OR

Scatcatpdx

Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

You can live without internet; you can drill your own well or buy a generator. You do not have a right to force others to provide your needs. Rights by nature are immaterial you have a right to pursuit your own happiness but not right to force others to provide for your happiness the same with internet. If the does not like dial up that person can exercise the right of internal migration and move or one enterprising fellow in a small town did bought in DS3 line and SELL access to his neighbors. The beset way to brig broadband is Capitalism.

NetAdmin1
CCNA
join:2008-05-22

NetAdmin1

Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

said by Scatcatpdx:

The beset way to brig broadband is Capitalism.
Right, because capitalism worked so well in providing rural locations with things like electricity and basic phone service the first time. The fact is that capitalism doesn't always workout in everyone's favor and anyone who claims it does, lives in a fantasy world.

Blindly advocating market solutions to EVERY problem is just as bad as running to the nanny government every time for a fix.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102 to 88615298

Premium Member

to 88615298
said by 88615298:

Where is it in the constitution people have a right to running water, electricty or phone service?
No where, and we don't have these rights. We are expected to pay for these things. I know my water, phone and electricity will be shut off if I decided not to pay for them.
said by 88615298:

It's not but no one would argue that making sure small rual areas had access to water electricy and at have the ability to order phone service was the right thing to do.
No arguments there. But I believe that people who want these things should provide for them themselves.
said by 88615298:

Do you think it was profitable at the time to build out electrical systems to town of juts acouple hundred people? Hell no.
It is only not profitable if the government paid for the cost. If the cost is high, and the price charged is higher, then it can be profitable.
said by 88615298:

My best friend lives a few miles out of town and his only option for anything other than dial-up is crappy expensive satelite. Giving him some other option since the telcos and cable companies don't seem to want his money, would be nice.
But you can make that argument about people who live in the city, should they happen to want things like wide-open spaces, good schools, cleaner air, etc. Luxuries have been and always will be a function of your location.
said by 88615298:

See once this gets going and the cable companies and telcoss see just how many MILLIONS of people actually want something other than dial-up they'll start building out.
I don't think so. Internet providers have already picked the most profitable areas and have built accordingly. Unless the business costs drops to the point where it becomes profitable to service people who would otherwise be unprofitable, we won't see any expansions.
said by 88615298:

Also satelite companies will have no choice but to lower their prices and provide better service if they want to keep what few customers they have.
They would have to improve service, which is good, but I doubt costs will come down. Cost is just a function of what the market will bear, and if people are willing to pay $100 a month for a service, no company will charge $90 for the same service. Consider FIOS and cable internet as examples here.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098 to pnh102

Member

to pnh102
PNH and his infinite wit or worthless torts and "wisdom". Anyone surprised?
said by pnh102:

XYZ "for families?" What kind of BS is this? Where is it listed in the Constitution that you have a right government-provided Internet? Does making it "for families" make it better?
Well for starters, internet is NOT a guarantee but the A) Right to due process B) Right not to be spied upon C) Right to browse what you want, are promised under the constitution. You know that lil clause called due process. Damn, I hate how that legal mumble jumble clouds the government. Don't you?
said by pnh102:

Gas is $4 a gallon, we have troops in harm's way, food inflation is through the roof, we have 20 million illegals infesting our country, shouldn't Congress be wasting our time dealing with these more pressing matters instead of this BS? Maybe they should vote themselves another raise instead!
Maybe if we didn't invade a country that supplied our oil, spark more turmoil in the region, gas wouldnt have quadrupled under Bush's term. In 2000 it was 1 dollar a gallon. Now it's 4 to 5. Sure sure, I bet its the added world demand that magically made gas go up so high. There's also a major world demand for electronics, too. I see their prices falling, not rising. Even the Playstation 3 which had production problems didn't SHOOT UP in price. That argument doesn't fly with me. As for troops in harms way, see Bush's Former Press Secretary. He seems to think Bush was a Moron like the rest of the country for going to war. Even the Senate voted that Bush misrepresented the threat. So troops in harms way is this administration's fault, NOT OURS. As per the Dollar and Food inflation, maybe if the person RUNNING things had half a brain and could keep a staff, things wouldn't be so bad. We've spent 1 trillion on Iraq, BORROWED / ADDED 5 trillion to our national deficit, what'd you expect to happen? It devalues the dollar and shoots prices higher. Last, those illegal immigrants you speak of are ONLY HERE BECAUSE COMPANIES HIRE THEM. Don't blame them for seeking work. Hold those companies accountable and they wouldn't cross the border. You know, people don't go where they aren't needed. If you stopped said companies or fined them heavily for using illegal labor (made it not worth the benefit), then said migrants wouldn't bother to come. After all, it doesn't do them any good to be poor and without a job in either place, now does it?

So in summation PNH, we recognize that people like you are why we are suffering bad times. You vote on rhetoric and ignorance, and don't even look at the reasons for problems. Everything is everyone else's fault. We know, it's never the person who created the problem.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

said by jc10098:

Well for starters, internet is NOT a guarantee but the A) Right to due process B) Right not to be spied upon C) Right to browse what you want, are promised under the constitution. You know that lil clause called due process. Damn, I hate how that legal mumble jumble clouds the government. Don't you?
What does this have to do with anything?
said by jc10098:

(summary) It is all Bush's fault.
Ok.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

Same thing you're worthless rant had to do with. I was responding to it =).

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

said by jc10098:

Same thing you're worthless rant had to do with. I was responding to it =).
Huh?
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

Exactly... HUH... I responded to your worthless rant about illegal immigrants, the troops in harms way, gas at 4 dollars a gallon..... Do you need me to draw you a picture?

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

said by jc10098:

Exactly... HUH... I responded to your worthless rant about illegal immigrants, the troops in harms way, gas at 4 dollars a gallon..... Do you need me to draw you a picture?
So you're saying we don't have a problem with illegals (they are not immigrants), the troops are safe, and gas is cheap?

Ok I stand corrected.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

No I said I replied to you (in badly quoted HTML which I still can't figure out). Read it =). We have problems but they are problem we create and foster on OUR OWN. It's like a kid that keeps riding his bike down a hill and falling, then crying each time he breaks a bone. If you know the outcome, or suspect it, stop doing the same things. You must alter your actions. Read what I wrote. That is all I can say.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

said by jc10098:

Read what I wrote. That is all I can say.
I did, that is why I summarized it the way I did.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

You summarized with a HUH.... Nice summary. Did that type of reply get you out of high school yet?

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

2 edits

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

said by jc10098:

You summarized with a HUH.... Nice summary. Did that type of reply get you out of high school yet?
Both summaries were appropriate to what you wrote.

I don't see why you are getting pissy. I told you that you are correct, once again. There's no problem with illegals, inflation or the price of gas. I had no idea until you pointed that out to me. I sincerely appreciate your enlightening me on these issues.
jc10098
join:2002-04-10

jc10098

Member

Re: FCC Did The Right Thing

Well let's see. You're answer sounds full of sarcasm? O well, I'm not going to hash it out. Believe what you like.

rf_engineer
join:2003-08-04
USA

rf_engineer

Member

This will never get off the ground

There's something for everyone to hate in this proposal. The wireless carriers don't want the competition, the free speech groups won't like the filtering, propellerheads won't like the amount of bandwidth, and no investor or carrier will like the capital required to meet the build out requirements.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5

Premium Member

Re: This will never get off the ground

said by rf_engineer:

There's something for everyone to hate in this proposal. The wireless carriers don't want the competition, the free speech groups won't like the filtering, propellerheads won't like the amount of bandwidth, and no investor or carrier will like the capital required to meet the build out requirements.
That is probably why he pulled the plan from the agenda for the June 12 FCC mtg. He made noises about getting input, discussing, etc. But he usually pulls items from the agenda for a public mtg when he doesn't have the votes to go the way he wants.

Glaice
Brutal Video Vault
Premium Member
join:2002-10-01
North Babylon, NY

Glaice

Premium Member

Kevin Martin

Why is this moron still here? Why can't we have someone who frowns upon recieving contributionsbribes and isn't biased against or with either cable or telco?
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

Re: Kevin Martin

said by Glaice:

Why is this moron still here?
Ask the yokel in the White House.

MooGooGaiPan
@bendbroadband.com

MooGooGaiPan

Anon

Free??

Are you kidding? Free?? This is promoted by the same dope smokers that think that the Internet is free with unlimited consumption.

We are either a socialist country or a republic. If we do free, lets nationalize medicine.
nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD

nasadude

Member

waste of spectrum

anything this current FCC does will be a waste of the spectrum.

I'm glad nothing will be done regarding this by the current FCC; that way there is at least a chance down the road there will be a majority of commissioners that actually have the interests of the public in mind.

aged apor
@rr.com

aged apor

Anon

problems

Free. I suppose the air space directly above my house is being filled with radio waves. Where is my cut? I pay the taxes and insurance, I'm being exposed to these waves. So the government can tax me in multiple ways to where I pay at least 50 dollars extra when I look at my combined cable and cell phone bills. This little free spectrum idea does make sense to me. We are talking about air. The service might be slow but, hey, I also could get those five channels being broadcast to me for free. Just have to watch the commercials.
about the high gas prices, we have oil just dont want to make a mess up in alaska. Environment vs. Economy. How about the oil companies blowin the dust off of those patents and showing us just how out of date the internal combustion engine should be. How about these two political parties combining to come up with a better idea on how to govern? Why the hell are lobbyists legal anyway? I can understand the AARP because they represent a group of citizens, not corporations. The national debt averages 30,000 dollars per US citizen.
I think I will move to Montana and build a cabin, start making some bombs.