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[ NNSquad ] Judges hear arguments on net neutrality rules


Judges hear arguments on net neutrality rules

http://j.mp/1anmBet  (New York Times)

    "The F.C.C.'s uphill battle, in part, reflects politics and past
     decisions by the agency. In 2002, its chairman at the time, Michael K.
     Powell, a Republican, got the majority of the commission to agree that
     the Internet was not a telecommunications service like the telephone
     system. Instead, it classified the Web as an information service,
     making it subject to much lighter regulation."

 - - -

You remember Michael K. Powell, don't you? - His cable industry
masters must be enormously proud of their lackey's performance in the
furtherance of their expensive and consumer crushing mediocrity:

    Former FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell, who is now the chief lobbyist
    for the cable industry ... Let's unpack his assertions one by one.
    It's a little unclear what "three universally available high-speed
    networks" he's referring to, but if he means cable, DSL and mobile or
    satellite, he's blowing smoke. Only cable consistently offers true
    high-speed capability -- DSL is spotty and barely serviceable when
    it's available, and neither satellite nor mobile networks can offer
    both high speed and reasonable pricing.  Even if it were true that 85%
    of the country "can access" 100-megabit service, the question is: at
    what price? As my column noted, in Seoul you can get it for $31.90 a
    month.  In New York you'll pay $35 for one-fourth the speed, and in
    Los Angeles you pay $30 for one-10th the speed ...  He gives the game
    away in his letter by pointing out that we've achieved our mediocre
    record "without the massive taxpayer subsidies that financed broadband
    networks in Europe and Asia." Right. His clients don't want the
    government to compete with them, but they don't want to spend the
    money to make the U.S. first in the world with the fastest and most
    accessible Internet service. - L.A. Times, 30 Aug 2013

 - - -		

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein (lauren@vortex.com): http://www.vortex.com/lauren 
Co-Founder: People For Internet Responsibility: http://www.pfir.org/pfir-info
Founder:
 - Network Neutrality Squad: http://www.nnsquad.org 
 - PRIVACY Forum: http://www.vortex.com/privacy-info
Member: ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com
Google+: http://google.com/+LaurenWeinstein 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/laurenweinstein
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800 / Skype: vortex.com
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