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FCC Seeks To Improve US Broadband Access
MojoKid writes "The US Federal Communications Commission
is working on a plan to solve the problem of nationwide access to high-speed Internet service. The three main issues the agency is tackling first are, figuring out how to improve availability, quality and affordability. Acting FCC Chairman Michael J.
Copps held a meeting this week where he asked the public to comment on the national broadband plan, which Congress has demanded be done by February. The public has 60 days to submit comments; the agency and members of the public will be able to reply to comments for an additional 30 days after that."
Commenting seems like a rather complicated (or rather tedious) process.
All filings related to this Notice of Inquiry should refer to GN Docket No. 09-51
Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the
ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ or the Federal eRulemaking Portal:
http://www.regulations.gov./ Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website for
submitting comments.
 ECFS filers must transmit one electronic copy of the comments for GN Docket No. 09-51. In
completing the transmittal screen, filers should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service
mailing address, and the applicable docket number. Parties may also submit an electronic
comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions, filers should send an e-mail to
ecfs@fcc.gov, and include the following words in the body of the message, âoeget form.â A
sample form and directions will be sent in response
Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each ...
filing. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier,
or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience
delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). All filings must be addressed to the
Commissionâ(TM)s Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal
Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20554.
The cities that have done this have also been sued by big telcos.
Bring back the '96 telco reform act which helped quite a bit in leveling the playing field with the monopolies of phone companies. It forced the ILECs to allow interconnections with small upstart phone companies. It wasn't perfect - it included things like the Communications Decency Act within it - but it opened the way for many of the thousands of ISPs to be able to offer service.
Bush and Powell's kid running the FCC did away with essentially all of the changes. Since then all the baby bells are bigger and stronger than Ma bell ever used to be. Many CLECs are gone, the non-monopoly ISPs are almost all gone. The monopolies are stronger than ever.
Or even simpler, just demand that previous agreements made with the telco companies would be met by the telcos. We'd already have huge patches of fiber to the home if the telcos did that.