Last week, I posted that Google and Verizon were in private talks that would create pay-tiers for internet service. When the talks were leaked to the press, Google and Verizon denied that there were any talks at all. Yet, yesterday (8/9/2010) those talks were finally confirmed and the Google/Verizon deal (proposal) on regulating the internet by making exceptions in certain instances, was announced via a conference call. Adam Green has more:

They announced a new policy recommendation that would kill the Internet as we know it, if implemented by FCC Chair Julius Genokowski and other policy makers.

Now, I don't know if signing the petition to Google to keep the internets non-discriminatory will help or not, but it sure as hell couldn't hurt.
More importantly, a letter to the FCC might help more.

redmondkr's picture

Can I Borrow a Cup of Internet?

An acquaintance sent me an email this morning on this subject with enclosed links to protest.

It's funny coming from her. Last I heard she was stealing her Internet from a neighbor's unsecured wireless router and had even bought an outboard, supposedly super-sensitive, wireless transceiver for her laptop. She talked about mounting the damned thing where the feed horn normally goes on a satellite dish in order to improve 'her' signal.

I asked her if the neighbor would be at all curious about a satellite dish aimed directly at his home office. Why not just knock on the door with an ethernet cable dangling in your hand and ask to borrow a cup of Internet.

CE Petro's picture

Oy

In a perfect world, broadband internet would be low-cost and available to everyone.

But, unfortunately, we live in a corporate-ruling world, and stealing services, as abhorrent as I find it, is a way of life for some.

Blogmudgeon's picture

More Regulation

Sigh. The Federal Communications Commission attempted to insert itself in this some time back--and was rebuffed by the courts. Seems the scope of communications via the internet does not extend to them.

A new attempt is being made to have our congress critters legislate the authority to the FCC to regulate internet communication networks and their operations. Many industry interests do not want this--for it will ultimately defeat tiered bandwidth--something that a lot of money is to be made in the future on if this is not brought under control.

While I lament increasing regulation, as we see far too clearly given a lack of specific controls the invisible hand of commerce will give us--the consumer--the finger every time...

R. Neal's picture

Everything you need to know

Everything you need to know about efforts to regulate broadband:

Over 150 conservative think tanks, advocacy groups, state legislators and bloggers will send two letters on Wednesday to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and lawmakers voicing their opposition to an agency proposal to reclassify broadband as a telecom service. The signatories, which include Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform, Washington Examiner editorial page editor Mark Tapscott, Michelle Malkin and Erick Erickson of RedState, urge the FCC not to move to increase its authority in that way.

(Emphasis added.) Source...

Blogmudgeon's picture

Really?

[sarcasm on] I would never have imagined... [/sarcasm off]

Another round of red Kool-Aid for all of them. After all, writing these letters is thirsty work. And let's not forget--that they are paid to drink it...

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