NOVEMBER 18, 2009 Feds Mull Rules, Fees to Spur Net Access

By AMY SCHATZ
WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators are considering whether the government should take greater control of the Internet and ask consumers to pay higher phone charges in order to provide all Americans with cheaper access to broadband Internet service.


online.wsj.com...

So now to make Broadband more affordable for all, we'll all pay more and lose more freedoms.

WTF is happening here? Does the Gov. really need to worry about this? I think I have to get away from computer for a while.

reply to post by 5 oClock


Yes, i think the government does need to worry about this.
Cable companies have a monopoly on broadband access in MANY places in this country.

If the government takes things and makes the more accessible and provides more competition - i can finally tell Comcast to shove their service where the sun don't shine.

I'm all for it. You would be too if you lived in an area that had ONE choice for broadband internet.

Originally posted by Snarf

I'm all for it. You would be too if you lived in an area that had ONE choice for broadband internet.

Where I once lived and where I currently live we have one choice because of state and federal regulations. That same gov which you expect to come riding in and save you from your predicament may be the very cause of the predicament in the first place. It was and is for people living where I was and where I am.

Are we still living in the Democratic society???? Everything is being "dictated" by the Government it seems.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere

Where I once lived and where I currently live we have one choice because of state and federal regulations. That same gov which you expect to come riding in and save you from your predicament may be the very cause of the predicament in the first place. It was and is for people living where I was and where I am.

I see what you're saying. But i disagree. DSL has not come to my location because the phone companies say there is no profit there.

I realize that im selfish in saying this, but hey...at least im being honest.

Anything that gives me a GOOD alternative to comcast. I ... hate ... cable companies.

Heres how it goes for us...

I have Comcast. They suckered me in with the "triple play" for 99 bucks a month. That was basic cable, phone and internet. Not bad, plus all three are on one bill.. I liked it... but then......

99 went to 120, then 130, then 155, then 170 and now its 179. Nothing has changed. All my services are the same. I called them and asked why does it go up monthly? I told her I was cancelling my services and switching back to At&t. She told me that dsl was slower (duh) but when I explained to her that alls I do is light web surfing and facebook and have no need to 50 mbs, she lowered my bill on the spot. Took it down to 130.

Now in reality, I love my xbox and play online all the time, and I know dsl blows for that, but i was bluffing. It worked. However, once the next bill came it was back to 155, the next bill: $167.

They can charge what they want, you have to pay.. you don't have a choice. But one day I called at&t just to see what I could do. I mean, I love the xbox, but I can live with out, if its going to save me a hundred a month. at&t told me they don't have service on my part of the town.

What?? My town has 20,000 people in it. I see At&t trucks all over the place. She told me on the southside they have service, but not on the north. So ya, Comcast has the market cornered.

I don't know if government is the answer, but honestly, why is my service that much a month? and how can they drop it so quick. They're screwin ya and they know it. Monopolies suck.

Originally posted by Snarf
reply to post by 5 oClock

 

Yes, i think the government does need to worry about this.
Cable companies have a monopoly on broadband access in MANY places in this country.

If the government takes things and makes the more accessible and provides more competition - i can finally tell Comcast to shove their service where the sun don't shine.

I'm all for it. You would be too if you lived in an area that had ONE choice for broadband internet.

I live in the sticks betwwen 2 mid-sized cities, (just where I want to be) my choices are an expensive satallite Hughes Net, or verizon broadband, I used to have the Comcast bundle in another state and loved it. But I choose not to have dial up and can thankfully afford to choose what speed I want, though limited, the point is I CHOOSE. not the GOV.

You know nothing is free and the strings attached will be thick and heavy IMO.

double post delete

[edit on 18-11-2009 by 5 oClock]

reply to post by spliff4020


Do what I and several of my friends and aquaintances have done. Call them up and tell them you only want the broadband. Stand your ground. Dont take any packages.

It's easier for some and harder for others. The hardest one being a guy had to tell them he was going to stop paying the cable portion of the bill and only pay the internet portion. After a couple more angry phone calls he got what he wanted.

These companies work for you. You push them around. Remember that. If they want you're money they'll drop to their knees and earn it.

the feds had a program a while back that was meant to provide internet access to everyone. They funded the program by added a small tax to your phone bills. It was minimal and everyone paid it. Unfortunately, they never actually did anything so they wound up giving back the money via a $60 rebate to each taxpayer (more if you had a business and could show that you paid more than $60 over the period in question).

They are hamsters on a cycle, forever spinning wheels.

reply to post by spliff4020

Now in reality, I love my xbox and play online all the time, and I know dsl blows for that, but i was bluffing. It worked. However, once the next bill came it was back to 155, the next bill: $167.

actually - DLS is great for xbox as well. Just because they say you get 10 or 20, 30 or 50 MBPS on Cable doesn't mean anything.

Your upload speed, and the speed of the server you're connected to, are what decide your over all speed. All of my friends play xbox on DSL - and i've played with my xbox at work before on DSL (Shhh!)

and never once had a problem.

DSL is not perfect.

But it forces idiot companies like comcast to shape up or lose a customer

If you have a cell phone signal at home, most cell providers have a wifi box. I can only get wireless, no land line internet unless I use AOL

The verizon mifi does just fine for surfin:

www.verizonwireless.com...