The cable companies aren't forcing anything. They are not blocking any Vonage traffic. You should reread the article. I was at the Silicon FlatIrons conference where the issue was brought up by Lessig and he was very clear that this issue was not due to a major broadband carrier.
Vonage is notorious for complaining without citing specific sources of the blocking.
You're right I'm not interested in that crap either. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be there. I just don't read it. If blogs are messing up your Google searches, then complain to Google to improve their product. Content on the internet doesn't exist to streamline Google searches.
If the government didn't allow this. You probably wouldn't have cable today. When cable was first starting out, it was completely funded by private enterprise. Do you think they would have done all that work and and absorbed all the expense if they knew the local government was going to give the access away? Hardly. Remember, companies like TCI, Cox, and Comcast built the infrastructure to make money. They aren't charities.
Don't confuse computer to computer VOIP as what the state governments have chosen to regulate. They are only going to regulate VOIP where it interfaces with the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). This interconnection is what differentiates your voice chat computer programs from what what companies like Vonage do. All service providers who interconnect with the PSTN are regulated.
Phone sevice would be "voice service, where a standard telephone is used". Meaning that knowledge of how the call is processed is transparent to the user. If it looks like a phone and dials like a phone then the ordinary person may be able to safely assume that the phone would work like a typical POTS line.
You might be smart enough to know the difference, but there are people that aren't. Many people. By nature, consumers will only take the price into consideration. But when the time comes for a 911 call to be made (hopefully not on your behalf) and death occurs, they'll wish the service had been regulated. Without ensuring that the Telco's are held responsible, the state may be held responsible for not making adequate steps to ensure 911 service was available.
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The cable companies aren't forcing anything. They are not blocking any Vonage traffic. You should reread the article. I was at the Silicon FlatIrons conference where the issue was brought up by Lessig and he was very clear that this issue was not due to a major broadband carrier.
Vonage is notorious for complaining without citing specific sources of the blocking.
You're right I'm not interested in that crap either. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be there. I just don't read it. If blogs are messing up your Google searches, then complain to Google to improve their product. Content on the internet doesn't exist to streamline Google searches.
Another study determined that 'Many consumers complain for no apparent reason at all'
I wonder if Mr. Murry mentioned this?
Excellent point!
But for some reason, most people here think that the cable company is some kind of charity or not-for-profit organization.
If the government didn't allow this. You probably wouldn't have cable today. When cable was first starting out, it was completely funded by private enterprise. Do you think they would have done all that work and and absorbed all the expense if they knew the local government was going to give the access away? Hardly. Remember, companies like TCI, Cox, and Comcast built the infrastructure to make money. They aren't charities.
Don't confuse computer to computer VOIP as what the state governments have chosen to regulate. They are only going to regulate VOIP where it interfaces with the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). This interconnection is what differentiates your voice chat computer programs from what what companies like Vonage do. All service providers who interconnect with the PSTN are regulated.
Phone sevice would be "voice service, where a standard telephone is used". Meaning that knowledge of how the call is processed is transparent to the user. If it looks like a phone and dials like a phone then the ordinary person may be able to safely assume that the phone would work like a typical POTS line.
You might be smart enough to know the difference, but there are people that aren't. Many people. By nature, consumers will only take the price into consideration. But when the time comes for a 911 call to be made (hopefully not on your behalf) and death occurs, they'll wish the service had been regulated. Without ensuring that the Telco's are held responsible, the state may be held responsible for not making adequate steps to ensure 911 service was available.