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Bill Would Make Carriers Publish 4G Data Speeds

Posted by samzenpus on from the show-me-the-numbers dept.

GovTechGuy writes "A new bill from Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) would force wireless carriers to provide consumers with information on the minimum data speeds for their 4G networks at both the point of sale as well as on all billing materials. The bill would also task the FCC with compiling a Consumer Reports-style comparison of the 4G data speeds at the top ten wireless carriers so customers can view a side-by-side comparison."

7 of 99 comments (clear)

  1. Area? by Fusen · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Minimum data speeds? Surely it depends on the device you are using and the area you are in...The bill obviously has good intentions but it'll be hard to maintain the info.

    1. Re:Area? by Lunix+Nutcase · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Surely it depends on the device you are using and the area you are in...

      And? Are you saying these companies don't have that info? Please...

      The bill obviously has good intentions but it'll be hard to maintain the info.

      Boohoo?

    2. Re:Area? by i_b_don · · Score: 5, Insightful

      So fucking what?

      Do we also pay for listing the octane quantity on the sides of gas stations? Do we also pay for the calorie labels on the sides of food? The reporting of fuel economy of cars before you buy them? I'll take that cost any-day.

      I can't believe anyone would bitch and moan about this. This is an awesome idea. This is what regulation should be, forcing clear and equal reporting of information about a product so the customer can make the best informed decision possible.

      The only sad thing about this bill is that brilliance like this doesn't occur more often in politics.

      This is a great idea!

      d

      --
      all language nazi's will burne in heil!
    3. Re:Area? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I can't believe anyone would bitch and moan about this. This is an awesome idea.

      it is any awesome idea but it's also not practical. speeds / latency vary by the tens of feet in cities, and depends on the weather, and how many trucks are parked around you. seriously, any sort of guarantee would be meaningless.

      don't get me wrong, of course service is completely sub par for many americans, but writing such a bill isn't going to magically quadruple the deployed mobile broadband hardware to a state where such a guarantee will mean something.

  2. What about latency? by MrEricSir · · Score: 5, Insightful

    With AT&T's 3G, the latency is so bad that it feels far slower than the speed would imply. I think just publishing the speed is only a small part of the overall picture.

    --
    There's no -1 for "I don't get it."
  3. Easy Peasy by BBF_BBF · · Score: 2, Insightful

    It's completely useless, the minimum GUARANTEED transfer speed will the same for all carriers: 0 bits per second

    Stupid non-technical congresswoman doesn't realize that wireless connections can have dead spots, so claiming any more than 0 would be fraud. :rolleyes:

  4. Are there 10 carriers left? by krishkrish · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Are there 10 carriers left in a given market?

    If they would have not allowed the mega mergers no body would need such list. Competition would have made sure that they beat each other,