Paging Chicos for comment

[ChicosBailBonds]

Just another victory for the "haves". No different than any other situation.

We try to make it about laws, but the power/money win these cases all the time.

Kinda like the criminality of cocaine vs. crack. We don't wanna be puttin' rich people in jail now, do we?

Lots of laws on the books right now that certain folks aren't enforcing, despite an oath they took the uphold the laws of the land and enforce the constitution. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Wired connections and infrastructure are REALLY expensive, but, think how far wireless has become in the past 10 years. In theory, there could be a lot more options for home internet in 5-10 years.

Really really really expensive.  An understatement and I know you weren't understating it (you are dead on right).  Part of the problem is spending all that money and building out a network that isn't capable of expanding or keeping up with changes.  One of the issues that has hurt some carriers in a big way.

You're always going to have the issue, too, of building where the people are.  Companies are not going to spend a ton of money building towers or digging ditches if population is sparse.  It is one of the reasons satellite has done so well in those areas because it requires neither.

Interesting times ahead.  Don't forget with increased bandwidth comes ever bigger bandwidth hogs that will eat it up.  4K is the next to do it, then 8K. 

[jesmu84]

Really really really expensive.  An understatement and I know you weren't understating it (you are dead on right).  Part of the problem is spending all that money and building out a network that isn't capable of expanding or keeping up with changes.  One of the issues that has hurt some carriers in a big way.

You're always going to have the issue, too, of building where the people are.  Companies are not going to spend a ton of money building towers or digging ditches if population is sparse.  It is one of the reasons satellite has done so well in those areas because it requires neither.

Interesting times ahead.  Don't forget with increased bandwidth comes ever bigger bandwidth hogs that will eat it up.  4K is the next to do it, then 8K. 

Chicos,

What's the future look like for satellite internet? Lack of technology? Lack of market? Costs too high?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Chicos,

What's the future look like for satellite internet? Lack of technology? Lack of market? Costs too high?

ViaSat made some headway with their recent launch last year that certainly brought them into a more competitive space, but it is still lacking speeds at a local level.  Satellite could do it at amazing download speeds....just think of what we're pushing down or DISH is in terms of data....massive amounts.  ViaSat 1 I believe puts out more throughput than any satellite out there and they sell internet broadband.

The problem is the return path (lack of two way). 

The market exists, though it isn't huge.  Technology is solid one way, not the other.  Costs are an issue.  IMO

[forgetful]

ViaSat made some headway with their recent launch last year that certainly brought them into a more competitive space, but it is still lacking speeds at a local level.  Satellite could do it at amazing download speeds....just think of what we're pushing down or DISH is in terms of data....massive amounts.  ViaSat 1 I believe puts out more throughput than any satellite out there and they sell internet broadband.

The problem is the return path (lack of two way). 

The market exists, though it isn't huge.  Technology is solid one way, not the other.  Costs are an issue.  IMO

I am no expert (and that is even giving me too much credit), but although Sat can push down a lot of data (and is for TV), one of the differences with Internet is that its not a discrete number of options all people are looking at, rather the internet is vast and people are accessing all aspects of the internet at any given time.  Therefore more total bandwidth is consumed quicker and it is harder to maintain download speeds to large numbers of people.

That doesn't even consider the two-way issues that you mention.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Net neutrality is far from over, many more appeals and rules to be written. I'd hold off on the gloom and doom stuff.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I am no expert (and that is even giving me too much credit), but although Sat can push down a lot of data (and is for TV), one of the differences with Internet is that its not a discrete number of options all people are looking at, rather the internet is vast and people are accessing all aspects of the internet at any given time.  Therefore more total bandwidth is consumed quicker and it is harder to maintain download speeds to large numbers of people.

That doesn't even consider the two-way issues that you mention.

Yup.  Efficiency issues.

[brandx]

Chicos,

What's the future look like for satellite internet? Lack of technology? Lack of market? Costs too high?

Technology is available. Companies will to commit not so much - favors consumer too much.

[Spotcheck Billy]

if we are blaming the high cost of infrastructure, why are speeds and costs so much worse in the US than other places on the globe? this is one of my per peeves (and wth is a peeve?)

http://newamerica.net/publications/policy/the_cost_of_connectivity_2013

[Benny B]

Net neutrality is far from over, many more appeals and rules to be written. I'd hold off on the gloom and doom stuff.

The impression that I'm getting from the articles and Op/Eds is that the court's decision is merely temporary as legislation is going to come out of this which will effectively allow the FCC to prevail.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

if we are blaming the high cost of infrastructure, why are speeds and costs so much worse in the US than other places on the globe? this is one of my per peeves (and wth is a peeve?)

http://newamerica.net/publications/policy/the_cost_of_connectivity_2013

a peeve is a pube that she missed while shaving the beav.

[4everwarriors]

That's what waxin's for.

[ChicosBailBonds]

if we are blaming the high cost of infrastructure, why are speeds and costs so much worse in the US than other places on the globe? this is one of my per peeves (and wth is a peeve?)

http://newamerica.net/publications/policy/the_cost_of_connectivity_2013

Maybe Al Gore can fix it.

Geography is a key cog that so many people forget.  Building the infrastructure nationally in South Korea is a lot different than doing it for the USA. As a result, you have sporadic networks serving different areas in this country. Secondly, they aren't factoring in the costs of that builldout in higher taxation, etc, that are levied.  Reminds me of when people say health care is "free" in some country.  Uhm, it sure as hell isn't.  There is an enormous cost and it is paid by many people, just because you didn't get a bill when you left the doctor's doesn't mean you didn't pay handsomely for it.  Infrastructure for many of these countries is the same deal be it through subsidies or what have you, but there are dollars being paid via other means that are not calculated in the per cost of the data in these evaluations.  Just because your bill says you are paying $39.99 for X MBPS doesn't mean you aren't paying a lot more as a contributor for through other outlays.

[ChicosBailBonds]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/01/14/262382556/20-million-directv-customers-just-lost-the-weather-channel?utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=nprfacebook&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=facebook

Back on with public apology from them in hand. 

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/weather-channel-returns-directv-183200850.html

[MUsoxfan]

I like the direction of the programming terms they agreed to. The Weather Channel was becoming to weather as The Learning Channel has become to learning.

Show me the f'ing weather and that's it

[ChicosBailBonds]

I like the direction of the programming terms they agreed to. The Weather Channel was becoming to weather as The Learning Channel has become to learning.

Show me the f'ing weather and that's it

That was a chief complaint, they finally capitulated.

[Coleman]

That was a chief complaint, they finally capitulated.

Which is kinda crazy, right? Wouldn't just your basic weather forecasts be the cheapest to produce? If that is in the highest demand and is the easiest to produce, why would you try something else thats more expensive and less in demand?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Kind of like MTV without any music videos?

[warriorchick]

Which is kinda crazy, right? Wouldn't just your basic weather forecasts be the cheapest to produce? If that is in the highest demand and is the easiest to produce, why would you try something else thats more expensive and less in demand?

My guess is because people who tune in simply to get the current temperature and that day's forecast flip the channel as soon as they get that information, and you can't make any money when your viewers don't stay long enough to watch the advertisements.

[keefe]

My guess is because people who tune in simply to get the current temperature and that day's forecast flip the channel as soon as they get that information, and you can't make any money when your viewers don't stay long enough to watch the advertisements.

I worked the content space strategy at TMO and I remember thinking that widgets were going to kill niche players like the Weather Channel.  We are working on an aggregation and integration technology right now that personalizes the UX in ways unimaginable just a few years ago.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

My guess is because people who tune in simply to get the current temperature and that day's forecast flip the channel as soon as they get that information, and you can't make any money when your viewers don't stay long enough to watch the advertisements.

60+ Demographic

An educated guess says these are the people who complained.  Many don't use smartphones and can't with arthritis, not having the dexterity required to use a touch screen, and simply not being comfortable new technology.  The weather channel is simple and easy to find for these people. 

[jsglow]

The whole evolution is amazing to me.  I consider myself to be a bit of a weather geek (sure chick would agree) and it annoys me to no end that Weather Channel is dominated by reality TV these days.  Now in the morning they are trying to be Good Morning America.  Just tell me the weather so I know what freakin' coat I need! 

Frankly, I'd prefer a more thorough and in-depth look at national and local weather to include thing like regional climatic conditions during prime time features.  As an example, a report on current snow conditions in the Rockies would interest me right now as chick and I have a vested interest in the impact that has on the Colorado river basin.  Sure I can study the situation via the internet; it has actually been a good snow year.  But a TV report would capture my attention for 20 minutes.  Other examples exist.

[Coleman]

My guess is because people who tune in simply to get the current temperature and that day's forecast flip the channel as soon as they get that information, and you can't make any money when your viewers don't stay long enough to watch the advertisements.

Then they should get creative...

Local on the 8s brought to you by________

Banner ads on the bottom of the screen

15 second spots every 2 minutes. And keep the temp and a small forecast at the bottom of the screen during the ads.

There's plenty of ways to get advertising in without doing the traditional 2-4 minute commercial break. It could be done. Especially with how big HD TVs are now dominating the market. There's a lot of real estate on a 52" screen. You could keep an ad in full-time and still have an effective, attractive forecast.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I just switched from Cablevision and the one channel I missed is "Metro Weather & Traffic".  They alternate giving the latest forecast & radar for the next week with the local traffic conditions in the tri-state area.  I rarely went to the Weather Channel that was one channel up.  U-Verse has a weather on demand channel that has a video of the days forecast from Accu-weather and the latetst radar.  It's not up-to-minute updated.

[MikeDeanesDarkGlasses]

Then they should get creative...

Local on the 8s brought to you by________

Banner ads on the bottom of the screen

15 second spots every 5 minutes.

There's plenty of ways to get advertising in without doing the traditional 2-4 minute commercial break. It could be done.

Ads ....  Can we longer go anywhere without seeing ads?

I watched a documentary on North Korea, that showed how the apartments in Pyongyang all had radios.  These radios adorned the wall and basically looked like a speaker attached to the wall, with a volume knob.  The radios could never be turned off.  24/7 they would spew propaganda.  

Our consumer based culture is becoming so prominent that advertisers will stop at nothing to get their image or message across.  There is talk about the NBA adopting the practice of advertisements on jerseys quite soon.  How long will it be until this happens in the college sport?  The internet used to be a place where there were few ads, but now pop ups and banner ads adorn most popular pages.  Youtube was an amazing place before they made you watch at least 5 seconds of some stupid ad.  It seems as if our society as one parallel with North Korea - we are both bombarded with messages.