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Rewriting Rules on Delivery of the Internet
mathin writes "A recent NYTimes (free reg required) article states that, 'The Federal Communications Commission began writing new rules today that officials and industry experts said would profoundly alter both the way the Internet is delivered and used in homes and businesses.' Things under consideration: broad band over electrical wires and VoIP. A little thin on details, but interesting none the less."
If you do VoIP around your own house, you're using a PBX which the FCC doesn't care about.
If you're doing person-to-person and computer-to-computer VoIP with people you've already met some other way to avoid phone calls, you're okay.
If you're doing VoIP that's connecting to the PTSN somehow in place of the "last mile", the FCC wants to have a talk with you.
I can't tell, but when I read just the headline at NYT.com
"F.C.C. Begins Rewriting Rules on Delivery of the Internet"
my gut reaction was "Oh, crap, this is going to be bad."
How many others had a similar thought?
It is a bit depressing that Mike Powell's FCC engenders that kind of response.
the future is here, it is just not evenly distributed - w. gibson
Remember to tell that to the guy holding the radio the next time a disaster comes through your town. He's probably a ham, donating his time, energy and knowledge to helping others by providing communications when every other system is down.
Be sure to tell him you don't need his help. Get cozy on the roof during that flood, cause you might just be there a while.
Remember to tell that to the guy holding the radio the next time a disaster comes through your town.
/. stories on this
topic pointed out that the receiving end
might still have power. Sorry, but no, that
doesn't cut it... Unless we have a disaster on
a scale of hundreds of miles in diameter, no
one will go running off to find a ham to get
help, they'd just use their cell phone, or
failing that, drive to the next town. And,
assuming help exists, a disaster of that scale
would send FEMA scurrying anyway, so no need to
bother making contact.
Yeah, sounds nice in theory.
And what disaster, of a scale requiring us to go back to antiquated ham radio for communication, would also fail to knock out power, thus removing the source of potential interference?
Some people in previous
"Gee, Steve, LA just dissapeared from the power grid, all major broadcasting from the area has stopped, and NOAA visible shows no sources of light... Do you think we should check it out?"
"Nah... No hams, those true gods among men, have radioed for help. The entire city probably just decided to go to bed early, all at once."