Slashdot Mirror
Confirmed: FCC Will Try To Regulate Internet Under Title II
An anonymous reader writes: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has published an op-ed explaining how and why the FCC will "use its Title II authority to implement and enforce open internet protections." He says, "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, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone's permission. ... To preserve incentives for broadband operators to invest in their networks, my proposal will modernize Title II, tailoring it for the 21st century, in order to provide returns necessary to construct competitive networks. For example, there will be no rate regulation, no tariffs, no last-mile unbundling. Over the last 21 years, the wireless industry has invested almost $300 billion under similar rules, proving that modernized Title II regulation can encourage investment and competition."
That is the last thing we need is the government interferring and not allowing us to get service or upgrades. Here in Seattle we have probably the strongest control of access by any city, and much of the city is still on dial-up. The block where I live can't get cable TV or cable Internet because of the city's iron-fisted rule. Google for "director's rule seattle internet" and you'll find millions of results. Not all are valid, but there are thousands and thousands of complains about the government not allowing us to have fast access. I have 160 kbps CenturyLink DSL at home:
http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3840461248
And, that is the fastest connection I can get. As in most of Seattle, satellilte is not an option because you need a very low line of sight to the southern horizen. The city knows that isn't an option.
Wheeler is talking about applying these rules to MOBILE broadband.
That's utterly not true.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/fcc-chairman-proposes-utility-like-regulation-for-broadband-1423068563
"Mr. Wheeler’s plan would regulate mobile and fixed broadband providers under Title II of telecommunications law, the provision that applies to common carriers. The broadband industry has been strongly opposed to using Title II, arguing it would saddle companies with outdated regulations and depress investment in upgrading their networks."
No, because this doesn't do what you think it does. It's about wireless only,
Which bullshit site is telling you this? Because it's not true. This covers both mobile and fixed cable internet service. Comcast is fighting against it tooth and nail.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2015/02/04/383520623/after-months-of-debate-fcc-poised-to-unveil-internet-rules
You are just wrong about this. It is about making all broadband carriers "common carriers" under Title II so that they must open their networks to competitors, and not favor their own services. So, Comcast can't throttle down packets from vonage, while passing their own voip signals just fine, or throttling down Netflix while providing their own video on demand service at a blazing speed. It pertains to mobile broadband, but it is not about wireless only. Where did you get that idea? If you read the article, you would see that the government is involved in your life anyway, like it or not. You should study game theory. It might clue you in why sometimes broadly applicable rules (aka laws) are necessary. Or do you think everyone would function perfectly fine without these crazy things called "laws"?
Join the IParty!
Are water, gas under title II?
No.
love the taste, hate the texture
Tom Wheeler is actually a human being, not a faceless bureaucratic mouthpiece for the cable industry. Who would have thought it? I like his story about almost being the huge success that made AOL an also-ran in internet history, but for a rule that made the telephone network open, and the cable network closed. That is why so many people experienced the early internet at 1200 baud or 2400 baud, rather than 1.5 megabaud. Wheeler's early failure due to an FCC reg made a lasting impression on him. Now he has a chance to fix the problem that tripped him up. While the devil is always in the details, I like the direction he says he is going in. Kudos.
Giving the man Kudos on Slashdot is certainly not a bad thing, but if you want to encourage this kind of reasonable pro-consumer behavior, you need to write your comments to people that matter. I sent an email to Chairman Wheeler's account (tom.wheeler@fcc.gov) thanking him for his courage with my senate and house representatives on cc.
Maybe (probably) my email will come to nothing. But remember that all sorts of companies will be trying to defeat and bury his proposed regulations. Someone needs to make arguments contrary to the lobbyists, loudly and often.
Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress at this period in history.
that is NOT paid prioritization.
that is edge caching.
come back when you know things.
No, that's step 2. There's always a step 1 with emotional appeal to create the regulatory power, so that that power can then be used for steps 2-N without further involvement from anyone elected.
Last I checked the FCC already exists. Furthermore no emotional appeal is necessary here. Treating the ISPs (Comcast, AT&T, etc) as the monopoly utilities they are is pretty much business as usual and frankly a good idea on its merits. We already do it for telephone service because a monopoly of a vital service without regulatory oversight = abuse. Plus the rules for telephone service regulation pretty much predate the internet. This is just catching up to the state of technology.