US to unveil broadband plan Mar 17, sees barriers

[DixieBelle]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2224640220100223

WASHINGTON, Feb 23 (Reuters) - U.S. communications regulators will unveil on March 17 a blueprint aimed at bringing fast affordable Internet access to more than 90 million Americans being held back by fees and technology.

The Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday that the long-awaited National Broadband Plan will try to help connect 93 million Americans to high-speed Internet to find jobs, access educational and healthcare services, and reduce household energy costs.

"In the 21st century, a digital divide is an opportunity divide," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said in a statement, highlighting that various roadblocks are stopping one-third of the United States from subscribing to broadband.

"To bolster American competitiveness abroad and create the jobs of the future here at home, we need to make sure that all Americans have the skills and means to fully participate in the digital economy."

The FCC, which in August started a series of fact-finding workshops, will submit its recommendations to Congress on March 17, in an effort to lift the United States out of the 19th spot behind Japan, Korea and France -- the leaders in a 2008 world ranking for broadband speed.

In the last couple of weeks the FCC has begun publicly talking about key aspects of the plan. More is expected in the coming days leading up to March 17.

Last week Genachowski said he wants Internet service providers to offer a minimum connection speed of 100 megabits per second by 2020, compared with current industry estimates of less than 4 Mbps.


HEY LOOK! It's a free pony!!!  

And just who will be paying for this broadband and computer access??? Yeah, I already know.

[thundley4]

HEY LOOK! It's a free pony PORN!!!

FIFY

[Eupher]

Uh...., Mr. Genachowski?

You know those people you're trying to give the free pony to? The ones who are hanging out on street corners because they're too ****ing lazy to go to work? (Besides selling drugs, of course.)?

Yeah, those guys.

Here's a news flash, you ****ing moron:

Those drug dealers have to have COMPUTERS before the free ponies show up. Or is it your intent to give those lazy assbags free computers too?

I understand there are lots of recipes on the interwebz in how to make meth. Gonna open up a web site full of useful links like how to cook up drugs and how to vote for Lord Zero?

[IassaFTots]

The Federal Communications Commission said on Tuesday that the long-awaited National Broadband Plan will try to help connect 93 million Americans to high-speed Internet to find jobs, access educational and healthcare services, and reduce household energy costs.

My fanny.  Anyone know if we can invest in WOW and EQ stock????  Are they publicly traded?

[Carl]

I have a satellite for Internet because the old phone lines are too crappy to carry a dial up signal.
DSL,cable or other are not avail but the sat works fine and costs about the same as a cable connection.
Everyone has access now for the most part.

[thundley4]

I have a satellite for Internet because the old phone lines are too crappy to carry a dial up signal.
DSL,cable or other are not avail but the sat works fine and costs about the same as a cable connection.
Everyone has access now for the most part.

Would you care to pay for someone else that can't afford the satellite connection? Think of the poor people that can't get online because living off the government teat, they can't afford a satellite link, DSL or cable .  That's all this will lead to, imo, a giveaway of tax dollars to subsidize the internet for people that are mostly Dimrat voters, anyway.

[Thor]

Hell, I'm "poor". I still manage to pay for my internet access. My computers are old, remnants from a past life, but I keep them working and they mostly do what I ask of them.

[The Village Idiot]

Not another entitlement.

They really think the money never ends.

[DixieBelle]

I just found more crapola. There is more info at the link. It's not just about upgrading technology; it's about giving everyone a free pony....

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Government-IT/Calls-for-National-Broadband-Plan-Not-Lacking-in-Ambition-776020/

Benchmark No. 1: The FCC should set a goal that U.S. broadband adoption of world-class networks equal the current rate of telephone adoption (over 90 percent) by 2020.The groups said that these networks should be available at world-class speeds with prices and quality of service that are reasonably comparable for all U.S. consumers.

"With one-third of U.S. households lacking broadband service at home, the Obama administration should declare the goal of raising the level of broadband adoption within a decade to 90 percent, which is about the level of telephone penetration today," said Mark Cooper, director of research at the Consumer Federation of America. "Like John F. Kennedy's challenge to America to put a man on the moon within a decade, the U.S. needs to rise to meet its down-to-earth economic problem. Ending digital exclusion, which was the result of the Bush administration's trickle-down broadband policy, would be a major social and economic accomplishment."

[Chris]

How do you equate internet access to education?  Even when Clinton was pushing this stuff 15 years ago, it was bunk.  Solve Detriot's 50% graduation rate... then you can worry about shit like this.

[The Village Idiot]

The government can achieve that goal by doing nothing. 90% will have it by the end of the decade regardless.

[IassaFTots]

Does anyone else here get a whole  from this, or am I the only one??

[thundley4]

Does anyone else here get a whole  from this, or am I the only one??

Like maybe they want to control the content if they are subsidizing the service?

[IassaFTots]

Like maybe they want to control the content if they are subsidizing the service?

Uh, yeah, that.  And maybe they observe your searches????  Seriously.  It sounds a LOT big-brotherish, and it troubles me, not only because that is the way it sounds, but that I think it, and then I question myself, and wonder when I am going to put tin foil on my windows, like I didn't in Y2K.     No really, I didn't.     For real.  I swear.

[Eupher]

Does anyone else here get a whole  from this, or am I the only one??

Absolutely. There ain't no tin foil about it.

There's a price to pay for free ponies. And Lord Zero is just the man to slap the bill on the table for those stupid enough to take part.

[The Village Idiot]

Like maybe they want to control the content if they are subsidizing the service?

There are grumbles about licensing web users. They'll probably license websites too

[AllosaursRus]

I have a satellite for Internet because the old phone lines are too crappy to carry a dial up signal.
DSL,cable or other are not avail but the sat works fine and costs about the same as a cable connection.
Everyone has access now for the most part.

Ah, but, the masses they are talking about want it for free or next to nothing!

[AllosaursRus]

There are grumbles about licensing web users. They'll probably license websites too

How else do you expect us in the working force to pay for the free ride of the "Bummer's" constituents?