Topic: Broadband Data Improvement Act clears Senate Commerce Committee

[Death_Merchant]

This is good. Maybe, just maybe, we'll start getting broadband comparable to Japan & Europe.

"Congress has at last taken an interest in a seemingly arcane debate over metrics used by the FCC, and is moving on the issue with surprising speed. For years, geeks have criticized the way that the agency collects broadband information, focusing especially on the fact that the bar for "broadband" is set laughably low (200Kbps) and that if one person in a ZIP code has access, then the entire ZIP code is considered "served." The Broadband Data Improvement Act (PDF) hopes to remedy some of these problems, and it has just unanimously cleared the Senate Commerce Committee."

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070719-broadband-data-improvement-act-clears-senate-commerce-committee.html

[Just plain old Punisher]

Why should we involve government in what is a private sector enterprise?

[Lloyd007]

Because American consumers are stupid and are willing to pay 20 bux a month for dialup while Japan and Europe cruise at 100-1000x the speed (15-60Mbps). Private enterprise is always a good thing but when it has been an abject failure as it has in this instance its not a bad thing for govn't to give em a good kick in the rear. However as with everything govn't could screw it up even worse... but we'll have to see

[Death_Merchant]

How many broadband options do you have?  Not DSL, not lame-ass dial-up, real broadband.
I have one. From my local cable provider. One.

At best, most communities have a duopoly.
There are no competitive markets at work.

[Just plain old Punisher]

How many broadband options do you have?  Not DSL, not lame-ass dial-up, real broadband.
I have one. From my local cable provider. One.

At best, most communities have a duopoly.
There are no competitive markets at work.

I don't see how government regulation is going to solve that problem. Make a law and suddenly you're going to have more private high-speed ISP's?

I have 5 broadband options in San Diego.

SBC DSL
Cox Cable
Sprint PCS mobile broadband
Rochet wireless broadband
Direct TV

[Death_Merchant]

I don't see how government regulation is going to solve that problem. Make a law and suddenly you're going to have more private high-speed ISP's?

That is not what this is.
It simply forces the FCC to update how terms are defined and statistics are gathered.

Currently, "broadband" is defined as 200 kbps. Hell, that's almost Morse code rates....
Also, an entire zip code area is defined as served if a single customer in that area is.

Hard to make policy, or not make policy changes, based on such data.

[Lepton]

How many broadband options do you have?  Not DSL, not lame-ass dial-up, real broadband.
I have one. From my local cable provider. One.

At best, most communities have a duopoly.
There are no competitive markets at work.

And that's why markets don't work.  There is no such thing as competition.  Capitalism is monopolies and price-fixing.

[Just plain old Punisher]

How many broadband options do you have?  Not DSL, not lame-ass dial-up, real broadband.
I have one. From my local cable provider. One.

At best, most communities have a duopoly.
There are no competitive markets at work.

And that's why markets don't work.  There is no such thing as competition.  Capitalism is monopolies and price-fixing.

Umm, there are at least 5 different companies offering broadband services in my area.