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FCC's Martin Praises Self For Non-Existent Network Openness
Gives self pat on back for job not done...

According to comments this week by FCC boss Kevin Martin, network "openness" is becoming the norm, in no small part because of his "light regulatory touch" at the FCC. That would be great, were it actually true. So far, network openness is simply being paid lip service by carriers that are absolutely terrified of being "dumb pipe" providers. As such, wireless carriers in particular are taking their sweet time in actually opening up their networks, and Martin has done little to speed up the process.

Verizon's much ballyhooed (and media hyped) promise of a truly open 3G data network is really an effort to simply make network freedom and application choice a luxury option. Verizon will continue to make crippled handsets with restricted features their primary cash cow, but plan to be gracious enough to allow you to access the real Internet -- if you're willing to sign on for a metered billing model and pay a heavy premium. Of course, none of that matters anyway, since the project appears stuck in neutral.

Martin also takes time to praise his own inclusion of open-access conditions in the recent 700Mhz spectrum. However, the vast majority of that spectrum, which could have gone toward a new competitive alternative, was won by Verizon or AT&T. In reality, legal experts (among them Susan Crawford, tagged to help pick the next FCC boss) note that the conditions Martin added to the auction contain plenty of loopholes for Verizon and AT&T lawyers to wiggle over and around. The conditions are, unfortunately, for show.

Still, to Martin, high from his vantage point over a sea of crippled phones, high prices, low caps, walled gardens, restrictive carrier TOS's and prohibited applications, it's mission accomplished. "I think I was able to craft a compromise that did respect the ability of consumers to be able to go where they wanted to on the Internet and have it more open to applications and devices, and at the same time, have it shy away from the regulations that could inhibit investment in networks," says the outgoing FCC boss.
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knightmb
Everybody Lies
join:2003-12-01
Franklin, TN

knightmb

Member

A big surprise?

Like we expected him to punish himself in comments about how bad of a job he has been doing?
drslash (banned)
Goya Asma
join:2002-02-18
Marion, IA

drslash (banned)

Member

Another op ed

Karl,
You forgot the op ed tag on this story.

Matt3
All noise, no signal.
Premium Member
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC

Matt3

Premium Member

Re: Another op ed

said by drslash:

Karl,
You forgot the op ed tag on this story.
It's there unless he added it after the fact. And if he did, you really should IM article corrections to Karl. Posting them in public makes you look like a "F1rst Post0rz FTW!!1!11" idiot.

packetscan
Premium Member
join:2004-10-19
Bridgeport, CT

packetscan

Premium Member

Lie cheat and steal

It's the Bush way..
nasadude
join:2001-10-05
Rockville, MD

1 recommendation

nasadude

Member

Re: Lie cheat and steal

don't forget incompetence, cluelessness and arrogance.

koitsu
MVM
join:2002-07-16
Mountain View, CA
Humax BGW320-500

koitsu

MVM

Inhibiting investments

"... regulations that could inhibit investment in networks"

Does anyone have even a remote idea what he means by this, or what he's referring to?

I cease to see how neutral access rules could inhibit someone from investing (think: stock) in any of the big players, or equally investing in transport providers (fibre, etc.)

I just don't get it. I'm sure someone else out there does, so please help me understand what he means by this.
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

Sammer

Member

Re: Inhibiting investments

Inhibiting investments in improving networks and increasing internet access is exactly what has happened during Kevin Martin's time as Chairman of the FCC. Reducing competition for AT&T has not and will not increase such investment.

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

Transmaster

Member

Revenge of the Nerds


Could it be........

The New Head of the FCC, Who else could it be...Lamar Latrell
I can not get over how much Martin looks like Gilbert Lowell in The Revenge of the Nerds Movies. With this in mind who could be his replacement, of course, Lamar Latrell.

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx

Premium Member

Re: Revenge of the Nerds

I fear that Lamar's limp-wristed management style may make him a poor choice. My vote is for Dudley Dawson.

Transmaster
Don't Blame Me I Voted For Bill and Opus
join:2001-06-20
Cheyenne, WY

Transmaster

Member

Re: Revenge of the Nerds

said by djrobx:

My vote is for Dudley Dawson.
That's Booger

As Snotty (James Hong)in Revenge of the Nerds II stated "Remember when hacking a loogie it comes not so much from the lungs but from the soul".

morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000

1 edit

morbo

Member

whatever company Martin ends up at after this...

whatever company Martin ends up at after this should be heavily investigated (passed over for contracts, the works!), if only for punishing them for employing such a complete waste that has led us in the wrong direction.

fingers crossed...
Tarnacha
join:2008-11-03
Boston, MA

Tarnacha

Member

mobs and lying

Lie at the top of your lungs and it will become the truth...if not steal someones lungs and repeat.

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

pnh102

Premium Member

How It Not Open ?

How exactly are networks not "open" these days?

It is still illegal for an ISP to block access to a given content provider.
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

1 recommendation

wentlanc

Member

Re: How It Not Open ?

No but you can throttle and or cap a service into uselessness.

Maybe that's what's being discussed here....

cw

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

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: How It Not Open ?

said by wentlanc:

No but you can throttle and or cap a service into uselessness.
But you can still purchase uncapped, unthrottled service if you are willing to pay for it. Perhaps dedicated and guaranteed Internet service, like a T1, might be more appropriate for people who would not like to have capped or throttled Internet.
wentlanc
You Can't Fix Dumb..
join:2003-07-30
Maineville, OH

wentlanc

Member

Re: How It Not Open ?

said by pnh102:

But you can still purchase uncapped, unthrottled service if you are willing to pay for it. Perhaps dedicated and guaranteed Internet service, like a T1, might be more appropriate for people who would not like to have capped or throttled Internet.
Once again, it's all about the money. Falsely elevating the prices of services to hinder growth of that service is bad enough. Like everyone has said numerous times, this is to stifle their own need to invest and compete. Proven by the move by Time Warner to open a video store, and not count it against their cap.

cw

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

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: How It Not Open ?

said by wentlanc:

Once again, it's all about the money. Falsely elevating the prices of services to hinder growth of that service is bad enough. Like everyone has said numerous times, this is to stifle their own need to invest and compete.
I agree with you that insanely low caps are ridiculous, and I practiced what I preached when I dropped AT&T's internet service for my phone when they introduced a 5MB cap on my data plan.

But as I pointed out, other options are out there if you are willing to pay the money. If things were that bad, then even these options would not exist.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

KrK

Premium Member

Re: How It Not Open ?

said by pnh102:

If things were that bad, then even these options would not exist.
Yes, it's that bad, and as for other options... they're working on fixing that.

kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY

1 edit

kamm

Member

Martin is a CRIMINAL, he should be TRIED...

...as anyone in this country would be for multiple counts of felonies (corruption, lying to Congress, deceiving legislative and executive bodies to cover up corruption cases he's personally involved etc.)

Cheney's former ball-licking little closet boy should be tried and jailed.