Net neutrality war begins...

[brandx]

Remember the good ole days when we used to be good at war?

[jesmu84]

AT & T to halt investment in broadband for now.  Makes sense, why invest or innovate and take those risks based on last fees days.  They will not be the last.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/11/12/att-ceo-comment-after-obama-statement/18915917/

http://arstechnica.com/business/2014/11/fcc-calls-atts-fiber-bluff-demands-detailed-construction-plans/

So, ATT basically went with the "we're going to play by my rules or I'm taking my ball and going home" strategy?

Again, if there is a market and profit to be made, someone will do it. Why not allow local governments to build out their own networks? My local utilities work just fine.

[jficke13]

http://arstechnica.com/business/2014/11/fcc-calls-atts-fiber-bluff-demands-detailed-construction-plans/

So, ATT basically went with the "we're going to play by my rules or I'm taking my ball and going home" strategy?

Again, if there is a market and profit to be made, someone will do it. Why not allow local governments to build out their own networks? My local utilities work just fine.

Some of those local utilities might be a private company blessed with a government sanctioned monopoly. Works fine but not exactly run by your local village common council.

[mu_hilltopper]

In reference to my question about other countries .. this was an interesting read ..

http://venturebeat.com/2014/11/12/what-france-has-taught-me-americans-are-suckers-who-have-themselves-to-blame-for-crappy-broadband/

[jesmu84]

In reference to my question about other countries .. this was an interesting read ..

http://venturebeat.com/2014/11/12/what-france-has-taught-me-americans-are-suckers-who-have-themselves-to-blame-for-crappy-broadband/

"Government has played a strong role in ensuring competition, and that has increased choice and driven down prices for consumers.

Go ahead, America. Read that last sentence a few times. I know it probably makes your head hurt.

The problem is that in current U.S. economic policy, politics, and culture, Americans have been told that they have a choice. Either you believe in government regulation, or you believe in free markets. Government intervention is the enemy of innovation and competition.

It’s a choice that is as simple as it is false. Unfortunately, a gullible American public has swallowed it whole.

...

Of course, it would seem impossible that someone will stand up in the near future and demand that the U.S. government play a stronger role. Politicians and regulators would be cowered by an army of telecom lobbyists and pundits who would chew their heads off.

But the real problem is that the average American has bought into this false choice: government vs. competition. And so, they are not going to insist on the new regulations and stronger enforcement that might a lead to more competition."

Brutal honesty. We've been duped several times in this country. I think I've posted this one before:

http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2007/pulpit_20070810_002683.html

Not my statement, but one I agree with:

"If you look at the history of telecommunications in the US in great detail with regards to the cable and telephone companies, you will see they do this over and over again.

Whenever they need a government concession or tax break, they claim if they don't get it they will not provide universal service. When they want to keep their monopolies and destroy competitors, they claim that competition would weaken them and make universal service impossible. When they Argue against laws enabling technologies that threaten their revenue stream, they actually state that anything that reduces the amount of money they take in hurts their company, making it impossible for them to deliver universal service.

Telecom companies in the US are pretty much a case study in corporations corrupting the government, lying to the public, and getting away with it."

[Aughnanure]

"Government has played a strong role in ensuring competition, and that has increased choice and driven down prices for consumers.

Go ahead, America. Read that last sentence a few times. I know it probably makes your head hurt.

The problem is that in current U.S. economic policy, politics, and culture, Americans have been told that they have a choice. Either you believe in government regulation, or you believe in free markets. Government intervention is the enemy of innovation and competition.

It’s a choice that is as simple as it is false. Unfortunately, a gullible American public has swallowed it whole.

...

Of course, it would seem impossible that someone will stand up in the near future and demand that the U.S. government play a stronger role. Politicians and regulators would be cowered by an army of telecom lobbyists and pundits who would chew their heads off.

But the real problem is that the average American has bought into this false choice: government vs. competition. And so, they are not going to insist on the new regulations and stronger enforcement that might a lead to more competition."

Brutal honesty. We've been duped several times in this country. I think I've posted this one before:

http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/2007/pulpit_20070810_002683.html

Not my statement, but one I agree with:

"If you look at the history of telecommunications in the US in great detail with regards to the cable and telephone companies, you will see they do this over and over again.

Whenever they need a government concession or tax break, they claim if they don't get it they will not provide universal service. When they want to keep their monopolies and destroy competitors, they claim that competition would weaken them and make universal service impossible. When they Argue against laws enabling technologies that threaten their revenue stream, they actually state that anything that reduces the amount of money they take in hurts their company, making it impossible for them to deliver universal service.

Telecom companies in the US are pretty much a case study in corporations corrupting the government, lying to the public, and getting away with it."

This. All of this.