Finland the first country in the world to make broadband access a legal right

[Havok]

The U.S. seriously needs to get shit going. I understand that the main problem is the country being so big, but still. I'm not even that far from very major cities like D.C. and Baltimore, but there is nothing but dial-up available here. I really don't get why this is still going on. I don't live in fucking wyoming where there are no people anyway. I live at the far end of one of the richest counties in the entire country...but I can't get cable or anything lol.

[Kuya]

Well, so far, Congress seems to be saying that 1 in 10 americans need to stop being princesess and go pick cotton during a recession, so i assume they don't give a rat's ass about that, havok.

[Kyreth]

http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/01/f...adband-access/

I know where I'm applying to emigrate to if America completely falls down the rabbit hole.

[Cyn]

They should have been doing this to begin with. You make money to fucking grow and expand your business to new customers. And it's not late 90s when Broadband was just getting to the general public.

In a country that contains as much sprawl as the USA, making broadband available in some areas is just flat out not financially viable. Running the cables for it is fucking expensive, and a lot of people in those remote areas don't care about the internet anyways.

[Stiker]

Spoiler: show

http://www.techxav.com/wp-content/up...dsandprice.jpg

That picture always makes me want to cry

[LinktheDeme]

That picture always makes me want to cry

it makes me want to move to japan.

Then I remember how much their weed is

[arus2001]

In a country that contains as much sprawl as the USA, making broadband available in some areas is just flat out not financially viable. Running the cables for it is fucking expensive, and a lot of people in those remote areas don't care about the internet anyways.

I know I haven't really been following the 3G/4G phone scene and whatnot, but in the absence of actual land lines, what's the feasibility of broadcast alternatives? I know there are aircards and shit out now, but I think they're usually gouged and/or highly conditional on service and quality. But I guess the thought is instead of digging around a bunch of lines everywhere, just build some towers and/or launch some satellites. It might not be a long-term solution, but for all we know, wireless tech make a significant advancement within the next 10-20 years.

[ringthree]

In a country that contains as much sprawl as the USA, making broadband available in some areas is just flat out not financially viable. Running the cables for it is fucking expensive, and a lot of people in those remote areas don't care about the internet anyways.

I wouldn't mind if the government just subsidized it. Fuck, I would love for the government to just do a universal 100MB Wifi connection.

The ISP's in the US need a good old healthy dose of regulation right now. The government let the phone companies have more control and wow things really have improved! Isn't competition supposed to bring prices down? LOL

[Cyn]

Towers are expensive too. I'm pretty sure the placement of a tower is based on population density. If there are not enough people within reach of it to make it financially viable... no tower.

As far as satellites, that is what people way out in the cut have been using for television for ages anyways. The problem with using satellites for internet though is that you still have to upload through some other means. Like a phone line.

[Cyn]

I wouldn't mind if the government just subsidized it. Fuck, I would love for the government to just do a universal 100MB Wifi connection.

The ISP's in the US need a good old healthy dose of regulation right now. The government let the phone companies have more control and wow things really have improved! Isn't competition supposed to bring prices down? LOL

Internet access would have to be viewed as a necessity. And come on, be honest... the internet is nowhere near a necessity for homes, even in 2010.

[Havok]

Satellite is definitely not the answer lol. A stable dial-up connection is better than that garbage. Satellite ISPs are are more expensive, for worse speeds, terrible latency problems, and terrible service.

Another thing to make me upset with verizon is: their dialup service costs more than DSL. Paying more for worse speeds and quality: the American way to do things?

I'm pretty bitter honestly

[Grey Jorildyn]

Fk yea Finland!

[Hyan]

Fuck yeah.

E: Beaten D:

[Aesctaa]

Internet access would have to be viewed as a necessity. And come on, be honest... the internet is nowhere near a necessity for homes, even in 2010.

You said it yourself, its 2010.

If its expensive to provide a remote community with access, the costs can be reflected in the price the people in the cities pay. Its basic stuff, there are far too many positives of high speed internet access to tolerate a "have" and "have not" situation in a first-world developed country.

Absolutely great stuff by Finland, hope to see the rest of Europe and the world follow suit.

[Mizango]

Towers are expensive too. I'm pretty sure the placement of a tower is based on population density. If there are not enough people within reach of it to make it financially viable... no tower.

100% correct. Towers are a lose/lose situation no matter how you slice it, the best thing to come from that is if you get a little rent from smaller ISPs or cell phone and radio stations putting equipment on your tower.

The kicker is that lets say it takes you a good 15-20 years to break even, which is lightning fast in the Tower business, then over the course of that time the FCC or another regulator comes along and deems your tower unsafe and prohibits ANYONE from climbing it (Rusted guide wires, corrosion, storms etc), even ifs its to get your shit down. Then as they choose to either A) Demo your shit on site or B) Wait for gravity to take it, the people who is renting that space from you are unable to retrieve their equipment they hoisted 400' in the air 2 decades earlier, and in turn they will be furious and demand compensation.

So youre once again coming out of pocket to by new shit for people that were renting a space from you. Factor in the fact that you're now paying 7k for something that originally cost them 1500 back in the day lol. The example I just posted happened to me about 3 weeks ago, I had to go on site for a client out of Austin and supervise a 200 lb dish from a tower that was about to be condemned by the FCC, I got some really cool pictures of the whole thing going down if interested.

But anyway, yeah towers suck, that is in no way financially viable.

[BerenTebogo]

Finland can do it but hey now, we don't need them internets here in America.

We got our bibles and our guns. Good enough for god is good enough for me!

[Abandon]

Dear Havok,

The only place in the United States MORE fucked than Virginia in general is New Jersey (and Texas, to some). If you want to stop riding at night via candle, or are afraid of saying profanity in public for a ticket (hi2u VA Beach), or catching a $500 ticket for speeding, get the fuck out. Otherwise, stop complaining.

Love,
The Negro Currently Invading Southern France.

[Quixon]

I wish the government would push Tele-comm to run more fiber. I'd be making a hell of a lot more money then I am now.


1,000FT of the fiber-optic most commonly used for Tele-comm costs around $300 direct from the manufacturer (me). Buy Buy Buy.

[Blasta]

Fuck yeah, Finland.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1108/...d5ddd2cad5.jpg

-.- ... Where did you live again? I've got some google'n to do... Where did you even get that, half of them don't even look finnish!

[wagon]

Finland can do it but hey now, we don't need them internets here in America.

We got our bibles and our guns. Good enough for god is good enough for me!

Fruit for thought, if the Bill of Rights were rewritten today, broadband rights or rights to internet will probably be the second amendment.

-.- ... Where did you live again? I've got some google'n to do... Where did you even get that, half of them don't even look finnish!

lol, you should post some pics of finnish girls /droooooools