Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#1

Post by eddieoz » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 10:30 AM UTC

Free internet for all not such a bad idea
theguardian.com

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#2

Post by dusted » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 11:24 AM UTC

I think access to the Internet + an E-Mail account should be basic human rights. It's infrastructure too important to leave in the hands of private corporations.

[update] I'm totally okay with this being downvoted, but I'd like the input as to why, if I'm somehow wrong, then tell me ? :)

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#3

Post by eddieoz » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 11:28 AM UTC

dusted wrote: post #2

I think access to the Internet + an E-Mail account should be basic human rights. It's infrastructure too important to leave in the hands of private corporations. [update] I'm totally okay with this being downvoted, but I'd like the input as to why, if I'm somehow wrong, then tell me ? :)

In Estonia it is also considered, since 2001.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2016/aug/04/int...

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#4

Post by FriedrichN » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 11:32 AM UTC

Or at the very least force ISPs to separate their TV service from their internet service. And have some actual competition on the market. Providing internet shouldn't be as expensive as it is in many countries.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#5

Post by dusted » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 11:39 AM UTC

eddieoz wrote: post #3

dusted wrote: post #2

I think access to the Internet + an E-Mail account should be basic human rights. It's infrastructure too important to leave in the hands of private corporations. [update] I'm totally okay with this being downvoted, but I'd like the input as to why, if I'm somehow wrong, then tell me ? :)

In Estonia it is also considered, since 2001. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2016/aug/04/int...

Yeah, I heard Estonians even get a state-sponsored E-Mail address, which I'd take any day over "hoping that google won't randomly delete me for reasons beyond my control".

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#6

Post by tonyedgecombe » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 11:40 AM UTC

FriedrichN wrote: post #4

Or at the very least force ISPs to separate their TV service from their internet service. And have some actual competition on the market. Providing internet shouldn't be as expensive as it is in many countries.

That already is the case in the UK, you can get internet without TV service. It's a reasonably competitive market although most of the infrastructure is handled by one company (Openreach).

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#7

Post by postingawayonhn » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 11:52 AM UTC

FriedrichN wrote: post #4

Or at the very least force ISPs to separate their TV service from their internet service. And have some actual competition on the market. Providing internet shouldn't be as expensive as it is in many countries.

Here in New Zealand we separated network owners from retailers. The network owners are required to wholesale services to all retail ISPs on the same terms. As most network owners have a monopoly in their service areas wholesale pricing is capped by the competition watchdog.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#8

Post by luckyshot » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 12:01 PM UTC

dusted wrote: post #5

eddieoz wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Estonia it is also considered, since 2001. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2016/aug/04/int...

Yeah, I heard Estonians even get a state-sponsored E-Mail address, which I'd take any day over "hoping that google won't randomly delete me for reasons beyond my control".

I'm not sure I want my e-mail stored in government servers...

Yet I don't like private companies storing it...

And it's too complicated to manage on my own. Damn.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#9

Post by dusted » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 12:07 PM UTC

luckyshot wrote: post #8

dusted wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I heard Estonians even get a state-sponsored E-Mail address, which I'd take any day over "hoping that google won't randomly delete me for reasons beyond my control".

I'm not sure I want my e-mail stored in government servers... Yet I don't like private companies storing it... And it's too complicated to manage on my own. Damn.

Yeah, I run my own, but thing is, I don't have a RIGHT to do so, I am just lucky that my ISP most mercifully lets me bounce my outgoing mail through their SMTP server, and they blocked outgoing port 25, so that's the only way for me out.

I have some right to the domain on which I host my mail, but I don't have a right to a fixed static IP, and I don't have a right to be able to make outgoing connections on port 25 (or any port, I guess?), and I also don't have a right to a bouncer, so in practice, I don't have a right to host my own mail, there's no law giving me the right to demand any of those things, it's up to me to be a combination of lucky and wealthy enough to make it happen.

Re: Free internet for all not such a bad idea

#10

Post by aminozuur » Thu, Dec 17, 2020, 12:10 PM UTC

dusted wrote: post #5

eddieoz wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Estonia it is also considered, since 2001. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/audio/2016/aug/04/int...

Yeah, I heard Estonians even get a state-sponsored E-Mail address, which I'd take any day over "hoping that google won't randomly delete me for reasons beyond my control".

I trust Google with my data over most governments. Estonia might be an exception.