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FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

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Re: FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

#51

Post by sudioStudio64 »

rayiner wrote: post #16
jonny_eh wrote: post #5

"there will be no rate regulation, no tariffs, no last-mile unbundling" Translation?

Title II includes several sorts of provisions that apply to "common carriers" very similar to, e.g., how railroads were regulated back in the day. The government sets the prices for carriage (rate regulation), and carriers have to lobby the government to change prices (tariffs). Last-mile unbundling means that carriers must lease out their physical infrastructure to competitors at some wholesale price. These things a…

You're description is clear and well put, BUT I just can't go along with the statement

"there's just no way for telcos to recoup the billions of dollars spent on fiber if they're forced to..."

The Telco's can't recoup their money AND pay exorbitant salaries to upper management, lobbyists, and still convince wall street that there is "growth potential" quarter over quarter.

If we were just talking about building a network...

Re: FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

#54

Post by noobermin »

MAGZine wrote: post #30
mikegioia wrote: post #6

Using this authority, I am submitting to my colleagues the strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC. These enforceable, bright-line rules will ban paid prioritization, and the blocking and throttling of lawful content and services. I propose to fully apply—for the first time ever—those bright-line rules to mobile broadband. My proposal assures the rights of internet users to go where they want, wh…

These enforceable, bright-line rules will ban paid prioritization, and the blocking and throttling of lawful content and services of 'lawful content and services'. I don't mean to ruin a good thing, but is it implied here that ISPs may become the gatekeepers? I don't want what happened to YouTube (automatic content blocking because it's "unlawful") to take place with the general internet. One of the most important as…

I think the definition of what is "lawful" is a very important issue we should be concerned with, but it is a separate one from Net Neutrality.

I feel like this is still a leap forward on net, and we should be happy for it.

Re: FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

#55

Post by wtallis »

rmac wrote: post #31
subway wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's my (rather depressing) understanding. I still dream of a non-profit or municipal cable plant, serviced by multiple ISPs. The last mile is a natural monopoly, and we need to stop pretending otherwise.

Wireless last mile might be an option if the FCC actually opens up the 3.5ghz "innovation band" : http://www.fcc.gov/blog/35-ghz-new-ideas-innovation-band

That proposal seems to be for a 150MHz block. If you try to offer broadband speeds to multiple customers simultaneously with that little spectrum you'll end up needing to use cell sizes so small that it would essentially become a fiber to the curb deployment, at which point you might as well finish off with a handful of ethernet segments instead of several radio links that won't work well.

Re: FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

#56

Post by revscat »

radioact1ve wrote: post #27
mikegioia wrote: post #6

Using this authority, I am submitting to my colleagues the strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC. These enforceable, bright-line rules will ban paid prioritization, and the blocking and throttling of lawful content and services. I propose to fully apply—for the first time ever—those bright-line rules to mobile broadband. My proposal assures the rights of internet users to go where they want, wh…

Same here. It almost seems to good to be true. I don't want to sound gloomy doomy when this is excellent news, but I can't help but think what are we missing. I keep waiting for the "but...".

Ok, here it comes: but AT&T and Verizon are going to bring lawsuits immediately in response to this action, and due to years of stonewalling judicial appointments by Republicans, this suit is very likely to land in a court that is corporation-friendly, even if it does not wind up in the (also corporate friendly) Supreme Court.

There is also the separate-but-related political reality that the Internet, as a vehicle of basically free information, is opposed by those who depend upon their influence over the flow of news and information in order to maintain political and economic power. This policy shift will make it more difficult for them to keep their influence, and will therefore be fought against by very powerful people who face a long-term threat from its continuation.

Satisfied? :)

Re: FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

#57

Post by rayiner »

angersock wrote: post #24
rayiner wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Title II includes several sorts of provisions that apply to "common carriers" very similar to, e.g., how railroads were regulated back in the day. The government sets the prices for carriage (rate regulation), and carriers have to lobby the government to change prices (tariffs). Last-mile unbundling means that carriers must lease out their physical infrastructure to competitors at some wholesale price. These things a…

You appear to be quite against this (judging by your other posts on the matter). The fact remains that the current system is not going to hold, and that left to its own devices will end up with a bunch of walled gardens and other issues. I agree that it is wise to be wary of regulation in this case--but honestly, I think it's time we at least experiment. The market and regulatory forces at play have basically forced…

My complaint is that everyone's ignoring the economics of the situation. What becomes apparent if you dig into the numbers is that there's no money in building these networks, at least at scale--they are justified only when there's a money-making opportunity with respect to the content flowing through them. Historically, this has been the cable video service that brings in the lion's share of revenue. Even with Google--I have yet to see a story for the profitability of Fiber that isn't predicated on the nexus with Google services.

You can't legislate-away economics. If you make cable and fiber networks into an unattractive investment, nobody will invest in them, and they'll go on life-support just like the phone network. Cable companies will pivot to content, like Comcast is already doing with its purchase of NBC. The vacuum won't be filled, because at the end of the day no VC is going to put up billions of dollars to eke out shit returns on a heavily-regulated service.

Re: FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

#58

Post by noobermin »

0x5f3759df-i wrote: post #47
pnathan wrote: post #12

Well, I believe this kicks off the biggest lobbying effort seen in a long time to get this to not happen. I certainly hope that the US internet gets Title II.

The lobbying has been in full effect for a year, looks like they already lost this one.

I'm curious, how much effect do lobbyists have on the FCC, since they aren't exactly elected officials?

Re: FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

#59

Post by shortformblog »

The comments on this post are some of the most depressing things I've ever read in response to a regulatory decision. References to Tom Wheeler being a Nazi. Someone calling the plan "Obama-fi." A user who says this:

> tom wheeler, seriously, it would be a great thing if you and everyone like you contracted ebola and died a horrible death.

This is like giving the entire U.S. population free pizza for a year, and half the population complaining because there's cheese on it.

Re: FCC Chairman: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality

#60

Post by eggnet »

legutierr wrote: post #25

I personally learned the importance of open networks the hard way. In the mid-1980s I was president of a startup, NABU: The Home Computer Network. My company was using new technology to deliver high-speed data to home computers over cable television lines....But NABU went broke while AOL became very successful....While delivering better service, NABU had to depend on cable television operators granting access to thei…

How then, with this powerful backstory, did Wheeler choose not to unbundle last mile access?

The cable networks are still closed.

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