Internet Service News (US ISPs are bad and should feel bad)

**Serra** · 2015-01-09 12:36

I think it's a fair concern to have. Now that Wheeler has more or less revealed the way the FCC is leaning, the telecom companies have a month and a half to prepare and try to swing things more in their favor..

**djzombie** · 2015-01-09 12:46

Which just means... money money money.... MONEY..

probably just a strong arm tactic to collect fat stacks of green.

**BaneTheBrawler** · 2015-01-14 00:59

“Bipartisan” bill would save Internet providers from utility rules

The bill would amend the Communications Act to define broadband Internet access as an "information service" and prevent the FCC from reclassifying information services as common carriers.

INTERESTING AND INFURIATING

**Cantih** · 2015-01-14 01:15

Also
https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...-is-back.shtml

Hey Everyone, CISPA Is Back... Because Of The Sony Hack, Which It Wouldn't Have Prevented

And with the other hand
http://arstechnica.com/business/2015...ity-broadband/

Obama calls for end to 19 state laws that harm community broadband

In an update to dealing with your local politicians
https://np.reddit.com/r/politics/com...presentatives/

An email to your senator or representative may result in a form letter response and a phone call to the office may amount to a tally mark on an administrative assistant's notepad. But, for any given policy concern, if you want to get their attention a letter to the editor in one of your state's 5-10 biggest newspapers that mentions them specifically BY NAME is the way to go. If your message is directed to your representative, pick a newspaper that is popular in your district.
...
This document was made every day and comprised world news articles, national news, state news, and any letters to the editor in the 5-10 largest newspapers within the state that mentioned the senator by name. I was often the person who put that document on his desk, and it was the first thing he read every morning after arriving to the office.

**Mazmaz** · 2015-01-14 02:09

OH SHIT THAT'S AWESOME

**kuronosan** · 2015-01-14 08:48

And it's dated a year ago (February 2014). Doesn't seem to have really changed the game.

**Qalbert** · 2015-01-15 14:16

http://gizmodo.com/the-new-cispa-bil...the-1679496808

When word broke last week that the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, the twice-defeated bill known as CISPA, was being re-revived by Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.), it wasn't clear if the zombie legislation would be updated to address the myriad concerns with previous versions. We combed through the full text of the bill and, nope, it's exactly the same, word for word for overly broad data-scooping power-granting word.

The reintroduced CISPA (HR 234) is identical to HR 624, the CISPA bill that passed the House in 2013 and stalled out in the Senate. Nevermind that the Senate already refused to vote on an identical bill. Perhaps there is some unspoken Beetlejuice rule among Congressmen where Ruppersberger is hoping to invoke to a vote by saying the same damn thing three times.

**notorious bum** · 2015-01-16 11:05

Not only is this article lulz-worthy, but the comments section is filled with IT experts who know how bandwidth works, or something. Anyway, I thought it was funny/maddening to see this linked in a Bill Moyers 'morning reads' as it is the only article I've come across that so nicely presents this GOP Bill fuckery.

GOP makes U-turn on net neutrality
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/0...#ixzz3OzY81Flf

**BerenTebogo** · 2015-01-16 14:58

It aired a few months ago, so late to the party, but the BBC horizon episode "Inside The Dark Web" is a pretty good primer on why you should care about data and internet regulation in general.

Just pirate it or something.

**Waraji** · 2015-01-16 21:52

Originally Posted by SathFenrir

... why you should care about data and internet regulation in general.

Just pirate it or something.

This string of words together made me laugh.

**BerenTebogo** · 2015-01-16 23:00

Working as intended.

**Rooney** · 2015-01-29 13:06

Update: the FCC just redefined minimum Broadband speeds today to 25 down, 3 up. This should knock quite a few providers out of the broadband category, which would make it easier to deny the comcast/twc merger. I don't foresee it doing much to up speeds though.

Thoughts?

**chazzyphizzle** · 2015-01-29 13:11

is there a link or something for that info?

**kuronosan** · 2015-01-29 13:46

Originally Posted by Rooney

Update: the FCC just redefined minimum Broadband speeds today to 25 down, 3 up. This should knock quite a few providers out of the broadband category, which would make it easier to deny the comcast/twc merger. I don't foresee it doing much to up speeds though.

Thoughts?

My thoughts are that ISPs will just keep people where they're at and will offer "new" "broadband" packages to people for those speeds. With UVerse DSL I'm paying for 12 and getting 15, and they don't offer higher than 18 in my area.

When Google schedules my installation, I'll be happily telling UVerse to take a hike.

**BaneTheBrawler** · 2015-01-29 13:50

In less political but more amusing news...

Comcast Changes Customer's Name To 'A**hole,' Now Says They're Sorry

The best part about this story is that it actually took the woman multiple tries to get the account name fixed! She went, in person, to a local Comcast office and made some calls, and no luck.

**Ghost_Wheel22** · 2015-01-29 14:29

Originally Posted by kuronosan

My thoughts are that ISPs will just keep people where they're at and will offer "new" "broadband" packages to people for those speeds. With UVerse DSL I'm paying for 12 and getting 15, and they don't offer higher than 18 in my area.

Specifically it involves companies milking that sweet sweet Last-Mile government teat. If they want to continue getting that free money they need to put out just a little bit more. My local ISP is crying about having to spend 30k on fixed wireless point upgrades after enjoying over a decade of 400% profit margins.

**enzan** · 2015-01-29 14:59

I never saw anything that said for sure that the minimum was raised. It looked like Wheeler was just suggesting 25 down and 3 up, and I haven't seen any complaints from the ISPs other than "Americans only need 4 down and 1 up". I feel like with the way AT&T robs people all over Texas they would be a little more vocal on the situation if Wheeler was actually enforcing this. I want them to vote on those laws regarding community broadband because AT&T is all that is available here, and they are never going to upgrade shit. I live right off Highway 45 between Dallas and Houston. I know a fiber backbone runs right alongside 45, so why is it that 6Mbps U-verse is the highest service here. I need Google to start a rural focused ISP.

**Serra** · 2015-01-29 15:03

Here's an article on it:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) just voted to redefine broadband as "internet which is actually fast enough to use." Now, in order to call its service broadband, companies will need to guarantee download speeds of 25 megabits per second or faster and upload speeds of 3 Mbps or faster. This is really, really good news.

http://gizmodo.com/fcc-redefines-bro...net-1682516928