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FCC Chairman Slams Trump Team's Proposal To Nationalize 5G (axios.com)

Posted by msmash on from the tussle-continues dept.

The Federal Communications Commission's Republican chairman on Monday opposed a plan under consideration by the Trump White House to build a 5G mobile network, nationalizing what has long been the role of private wireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon. From the report: "I oppose any proposal for the federal government to build and operate a nationwide 5G network," he said. The FCC's reaction doesn't bode well for the proposal the Trump administration is considering, first reported by Axios on Sunday night, since it's one of the main government agencies when it comes to wireless issues.

8 of 248 comments (clear)

  1. Killing Net Neutrality was fine.... by MikeDataLink · · Score: 5, Insightful

    because it filled their wallets. This takes money off the table. Whoops.

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    Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!
    1. Re:Killing Net Neutrality was fine.... by jellomizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      A government monopoly means that you have some say in what goes on in a democracy. Vs. a Corporate monopoly where your only action is to not purchase it, and being a monopoly you will not have competing products to choose from.

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      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    2. Re:Killing Net Neutrality was fine.... by HiThere · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The thing is, the transmission layer of the network, even a wireless network, is a natural monopoly. In such a case it does make sense to have the government running it...you aren't going to get much competition anyway. *Somebody's* going to be controlling it.

      Compare the current situation with the original situation, where the phone company supplied the wires and the connection, and any group that wanted to could start up an ISP. Then there was real competition between the ISPs. Now? But competition at the physical level is impractical. So the physical layer should be handled by a "public utility". The problem is, I'd really like it to be isolated from government control.

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      I think we've pushed this "anyone can grow up to be president" thing too far.
  2. The FCC shouldn't have a position on this by mysidia · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This just comes to show.... the FCC is in the Pockets of the corporate monopolies who are scared of potential competition.

    The FCC's job is to be a neutral technical regulator for spectrum and consumer protection --- having a national 5G network would not adversly affect the FCC's ability to do their job, so why are they even commenting?

    I can think of only one reason.... the commission is attempting to leverage the fallacy that they are experts in matters of commerce and infrastructure investment to push the administration in the direction of the political goals of their past and future employers: The largest cable companies and Telcos.

  3. Go figure by elohssa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A lawyer for Verizon would oppose nationalizing part of Verizon's business.

  4. Re:What could possibly go wrong? by swb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What fantasy world do you live in where cellular carriers aren't regularly and enthusiastically turning over data to the government?

  5. Re:Can't fault a man for sticking to his guns. by jellomizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I am not sure why it is funny. But Trumps only policy is what seems to Trump up Trump. He isn't a conservative or liberal, he is Trump who just wants himself to look good. He will stick with the people who likes him and complements him, and will betray anyone who makes him seem less then he thinks he is.

    This makes him easily manipulative. I have worked with personalities like this in the past, just as long as you weather the temper-tantrums, you can get the person to do whatever you want.

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    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  6. Re:Can't fault a man for sticking to his guns. by Marillion · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Exactly. Pai has a deep ideological belief in free markets. I'd go so far as to say he has too much faith in free markets. I feel free markets are good when there's enough elasticity in the market for good old-fashioned supply and demand to function correctly. But the telecom industry has a natural tendency to be a monopoly due to the enormous physical plant required to prevent the supply side from reacting to the demand side. In the absence of strong regulatory action, the monopoly will ... what's the euphemism? ... maximize shareholder value.

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    This is a boring sig