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Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

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Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#111

Post by kalleboo »

SomeStupidPoint wrote: post #42
bluetwo wrote: post #36

One of the problems with Net Neutrality is that techies (us) and the media have both had a hard time explaining it clearly. Meanwhile those opposed have been able to come up with analogies that while false and misleading, are easily understood. What is the best way to explain the concept that can be quickly understood by those that are non-technical?

I mean, the real problem is that we have a private utility. I think things like net neutrality can have market solutions if we divorce the last mile operators (to become a utility) from customer ISPs, who merely operate a contract with various backbone networks to connect their clients to servers they want. With last mile paid by taxes, ISPs are only dealing with the cost of backbone transit rates, where there is vib…

Net Neutrality legislation to me is definitely attacking the symptoms, not the problems. In my experience, in places where there is competition, net neutrality is not something you need to worry about.

Private doesn't even have to be a problem if competition is maintained. In Sweden there's a mix of public, privatized-minority-government-owned, co-op and private providers and competition is quite healthy.

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#112

Post by educatedsilly »

mkohlmyr wrote: post #101
chipperyman573 wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Democrats used to hold the Republican party's stances and the Republican party used to hold the Democrat's. Saying that something was invented by Democrats is essentially saying it was invented by people who would agree with today's Republicans. http://factmyth.com/factoids/democrats-and-republicans-switc... http://www.livescience.com/34241-democratic-republican-parti... https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-Democrat…

And Harry Reid (currently serving in office to my knowledge) had barely been born when that happened. So that is entirely irrelevant to his point.

That "point" doesn't even rise beyond the kindergarden level of "but they started it". Even "nah" is sufficient to counter that kind of brainfart.

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#113

Post by amelius »

simonh wrote: post #103
amelius wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To which the reply will be: "If Burger King pays someone to enable me to get there faster, then that's cool!" (devil's advocate)

How about if the road company threatened to put speed bumps on the roads unless the restaurant companies paid to not have them installed, and Burger King paid but McDonalds didn't? Oh, and you already paid the road company a toll to use the road to drive to the restaurants in the first place.

That's much better.

But now the reply could be:

"The customer is free to choose a different road company. And the road company is free to choose its business model. The free market will decide which road company offers the best price/performance ratio in the end."

(again, devil's advocate)

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#114

Post by koolba »

gutnor wrote: post #107
Frondo wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Frankly speaking, who cares? Is that a good reason to govern badly, because someone else did so? We should expect better from everyone, not just shrug and say "well, they started it."

That seems to be the rule. Whatever past government set a lower standard, the new government can take that as useful approved governing tool. Really people wonder why politician sometimes fight for nonsensical minor tweaks that look like a waste a taxpayer money, but that's exactly it. Most of the government way of working is ruled by tradition rather than law and new laws are created in case of abuse. After a few cy…

Exactly my point. A "nuclear" level of the same standoff is regarding changing cloture rules. The party in power can do it as a rule change (which can't be filibustered) but nobody has done so till now because they don't want to not be in power when that goes in effect.

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#115

Post by bb611 »

amelius wrote: post #113
simonh wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about if the road company threatened to put speed bumps on the roads unless the restaurant companies paid to not have them installed, and Burger King paid but McDonalds didn't? Oh, and you already paid the road company a toll to use the road to drive to the restaurants in the first place.

That's much better. But now the reply could be: "The customer is free to choose a different road company. And the road company is free to choose its business model. The free market will decide which road company offers the best price/performance ratio in the end." (again, devil's advocate)

But in the US the average consumer doesn't have a meaningful choice between road companies: http://arstechnica.com/business/2014/09/most-of-the-us-has-n...

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#116

Post by koolba »

chipperyman573 wrote: post #94
koolba wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look it up. It was invented by Democrats, specifically Harry Reid I think. Live by the sword, die by the sword ...

Democrats used to hold the Republican party's stances and the Republican party used to hold the Democrat's. Saying that something was invented by Democrats is essentially saying it was invented by people who would agree with today's Republicans. http://factmyth.com/factoids/democrats-and-republicans-switc... http://www.livescience.com/34241-democratic-republican-parti... https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-Democrat…

The point that I was making was about how traditions and accepted practices govern (no pun intended) how government is run. If one party opens up the option of blocking recess appointments (by having the Senate continuously open), then they can't complain when the opposition does the same.

On the flip side, I expect to see a lot of the reverse as well with large numbers of Democrats refusing to act on or otherwise stalling legislation as retribution for how Republicans have acted the past few years. We're in for a fun ride.

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#117

Post by coldcode »

mwc wrote: post #72
SomeStupidPoint wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, the real problem is that we have a private utility. I think things like net neutrality can have market solutions if we divorce the last mile operators (to become a utility) from customer ISPs, who merely operate a contract with various backbone networks to connect their clients to servers they want. With last mile paid by taxes, ISPs are only dealing with the cost of backbone transit rates, where there is vib…

In New Zealand, our broadband market is structurally separated. The the access provider for both the copper and fibre network (right to the customer premises) is a regulated wholesale only provider, which is required to provide open access to its network on a non-discriminatory basis between all access seekers (retail telecommunications companies).[0] This almost entirely resolves the net neutrality debate in New Zea…

Electric service works that way in Texas.

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#118

Post by tptacek »

IshKebab wrote: post #109
droopybuns wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd concede I'm grumpy. The broad swaths he strokes about robocalling being a "scourge" feel, to me, like they are indifferent to the virtual miracle of long distance communication on demand. Here's the deal- nobody wants to do the hard parts of secure communications. They want them to work, for free, and be easy. Those goals are not compatible with "secure" and "fraud-free." So I concede, bend to the his will may be…

Are you one of those paid commentators that PR companies and immoral politicians hire to sway online opinion?

There are a million different ways to make an uncivil argument on HN. This is one of the very few that are forbidden on HN specifically and by name. No matter how objectionable someone's argument is, don't accuse them of being a shill.

https://hn.algolia.com/?utm_source=opensearch&utm_medium=sea...

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#119

Post by hueving »

quasse wrote: post #32

I was recently at a conference in DC called "Transforming Communities: Broadband Goals for 2017 and Beyond" which was largely focused on public policy related to the lack of real broadband in America. Gigi Sohn, who is the counselor to the chairman of the FCC, spoke. She was very candid about the position of the FCC and the fact that she was finally able to speak her mind because this was going to be one of her last…

It's worth noting that whenever there is a change of parties in control, the incumbent party is always going to lament the fact that it's the end of the world. Time will tell if the new FCC administration is actually bad for the consumer.

Re: Tom Wheeler Resigns from the FCC

#120

Post by chimeracoder »

JustSomeNobody wrote: post #106
quasse wrote: post #32

I was recently at a conference in DC called "Transforming Communities: Broadband Goals for 2017 and Beyond" which was largely focused on public policy related to the lack of real broadband in America. Gigi Sohn, who is the counselor to the chairman of the FCC, spoke. She was very candid about the position of the FCC and the fact that she was finally able to speak her mind because this was going to be one of her last…

There were a lot of concerns when Mr Wheeler took over and he greatly surprised everyone. Let's be patient and see what happens next.

> There were a lot of concerns when Mr Wheeler took over and he greatly surprised everyone. Let's be patient and see what happens next.

When Wheeler was nominated, there were some concerns that he wouldn't even want to live up to the promises that Obama made.

That's a very different situation from being worried that the next chairman will live up to the promises that Trump has made.

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