All Things Net Neutrality

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by tshile

you mean areas that contain majority of the tech workers and have developed areas (in some cases entire cities) around major technology corporations opined to the FCC at a statistically-significant larger rate than those that don't on the biggest technology issue at present in?

you don't say... awesome analysis there NPR. :p

Actually Texas was somewhat surprising because I know that especially in the Austin area there's a lot of heavy hitters with a presence in that area. Then again Texas is a big state so I guess if the GOP tells them that Net Neutrality is an example of Obama's 'imperial presidency' it might be good enough for them. Then again the more likely explanation is most people don't understand it.

Edit: Ironically enough I was reading through the comment section and turns out I wasn't the only one surprised at Texas lack of participation.

LUXLEV cardboardcowboy • 3 days ago
Texas has a lot of high tech unlike many other states with low participation levels. That's why it was a bit surprising Texas had relatively low participation level.

KP • 3 days ago
outside of Austin, especially in East Texas and West Texas, high tech is a big screen TV at a football game.

cardboardcowboy • 3 days ago
Texas cares! (at least one of us here) To be honest I think it's a bit unfair to single out TX when there are MANY states with seemingly similar levels of participation. I'm not one to bash NPR (I'm a contributing member for the record), but the subtle anti-Texas sentiment is getting a bit tired, and is NOT going to help us turn the state BLUE (or at least purple).

Regardless - LONG LIVE NET NEUTRALITY!

Chocobo cardboardcowboy • 3 days ago
Yeah, but Texas is the most interesting because of the strong Tech industry growth there. In addition to that it's the foothold of the south and when you look at the map the south is looking pretty sad there. There isn't a single state that's even neutral.

[Dirtbag59]

If you still want to comment the deadline has been extended....again.

FCC extends net neutrality comment period to Sept. 15 | PCWorld

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has extended a deadline for comments on its proposed net neutrality rules to Sept. 15, giving members of the public more time to weigh in on how the government should regulate Web traffic.

July 15 was the initial deadline for first-round comments on the FCC’s proposed rules. It was extended to July 18 after a flood of last-minute comments came in and the agency’s Web form crashed. Now, the deadline for replying to comments has been extended from Sept. 10 to Sept. 15.

[Dirtbag59]

Comcast has found a way to avoid having CR reps say something stupid. Put customers on hold until they close.

Behind The Veil Part 4: Customer Trying To Cancel Service Is Put On Hold Until Comcast Office Closes

And perhaps now we're seeing evidence that a change has indeed been implemented. Though, the process of simply putting cancelling customers on hold until the office closes probably won't win Comcast any brownie points.

That's Aaron Spain of Chicago (holla!), who waited on hold with Comcast about as long as it takes some people to run a marathon, three and a half hours. Upon notifying Comcast that he was trying to cancel his service, he was in fact put on hold long enough that the Comcast offices had closed while the elevator music continued to play. Aaron confirmed this by calling back into Comcast with a different phone and getting the automated message that all the people tasked with helping him cancel his service had gone home for the day.

In other news:
T-Mobile to throttle P2P traffic and excessive tethering, leaked memo shows | Ars Technica

An internal T-Mobile memo published by TmoNews says the company will begin enforcing rules against peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing and unauthorized tethering from August 17 onward.

The terms and conditions of T-Mobile US have contained restrictions on P2P and tethering since 2008, but enforcement appears to be new. The memo says that "only customers with Unlimited High-Speed Data" will be affected, and they will be given warnings before their data speeds are reduced.

“T-mobile has identified customers who are heavy data users and are engaged in peer-to-peer file sharing, and tethering outside of T-Mobile’s Terms and Conditions (T&C)," the leaked memo states. "This results in a negative data network experience for T-Mobile customers. Beginning August 17, T-Mobile will begin to address customers who are conducting activities outside of T-Mobile’s T&Cs.”

[Dirtbag59]

This first story really ticks me off. Basically it boils down to a deputy of one of the Republican appointed FCC chairs saying that if the Dems in power attempt to overrule state decisions that 'protect' incumbent ISP's from competing against municipal broadband the Republicans will then attempt to reverse any such decision when they get back in power under the guise of 'state rights.'
FCC Republican wants to let states block municipal broadband | Ars Technica

Matthew Berry, chief of staff to Republican Commissioner Ajit Pai, argued today that the FCC has no authority to invalidate state laws governing local broadband networks. In a speech in front of the National Conference of State Legislatures, Berry endorsed states' rights when it comes to either banning municipal broadband networks or preventing their growth. He also argued that the current commission, with its Democratic majority, should not do something that future Republican-led commissions might disagree with.

Comcast incompetence inspires more painful tales from customers | Ars Technica

The horror: Man talks to six Comcast CSRs in 90 minutes, problem still unfixed
Comcast has promised to reform its ways, but the instructions it gives its own employees will make meaningful changes difficult to achieve. Today, one reddit user who claims to work for Comcast explained the pressures customer service reps are under: "I can not help you to the best of my ability of a number of reasons. One: we are timed on our calls. Each call must be less than 11 minutes on average. So if your agent is doing bad on time for the day expect him to try and rush things a bit. Two: our calls are graded on first calls resolution. That means if you call back with in less than a week for ANYTHING, it counts against us. Third: We must make a portion of our calls into upsells, so expect to ALWAYS feel like someone wants to sell you something when you call into comcast."

“Working in a slave pit would almost be preferable than working here,” the reddit user continued. “It is hell. Every call is like waiting for a pot of boiling water to tip on you. I can not stand people yelling at me and I fight very hard not to resort to being childish and yelling back. I know your issue, believe me. Not all of us are morons. But if you think you have it bad a customer, try being the one who has to take the anger of everyone who hates your company.”

[Dirtbag59]

U.S. asks Comcast for more data to review Time Warner Cable merger | Reuters

Notably, the FCC asked numerous questions focused on Comcast's broadband business, seeking an overview of the company's competitors in each geographic area, use of data caps and tools for traffic management.

Though analysts predict that the FCC will ultimately approve the merger, the regulators are expected to impose various conditions. Particular attention is on Internet traffic management issues as the FCC is working on new "net neutrality" rules that guide how Internet providers route web content on their networks and could use merger conditions in lieu of rules that are facing a heated debate.

Stage 3 - Bargaining
So basically the only thing we can hope for at this point is an s-load of conditions such as prohibiting data caps and longer net neutrality enforcement which is still a pipe dream.

52 Ill-Informed Mayors Agree: The Comcast/TWC Merger Is Greatest Thing Ever - Consumerist

The letter [nutterlovescomcast], signed by Nutter and 51 other mayors around the country, praises the merger as a way for current Time Warner Cable markets to benefit from “increased network investment, faster Internet speeds, improved video options and leading community development programs.”

Department of Delusion: Comcast Takes Credit for Google Fiber, Unicorns, and Kittens | community broadband networks

In light of all the evidence against Comcast’s track record for customer service, its glacial pace at upgrading Internet access, and its false promises for investment, we find the letter absurd, at best. But then it contains this gem:

Since the Comcast Time Warner Cable transaction was proposed, Google has announced plans to expand its high-speed Fiber service to 34 new communities.

Wow! Comcast wants to take credit for Google's investment in fiber networks? An investment by Google that is only necessary because the big cable companies have refused to meet the growing demand of our communities with better services?

This got us thinking, what else can Comcast take credit for since it announced the merger?

Since Comcast announced the merger, the Large Hadron Collider has not created a black hole large enough to destroy the Earth. #thankyouComcast
Since Comcast announced the merger, millions of kittens have been adopted #thankyouComcast
Since Comcast announced the merger, we have a potential Ebola vaccine #thankyouComcast
Since Comcast announced the merger, Bruce Willis has not had to blow up an asteroid to save our planet. #thankyouComcast

[Dirtbag59]

Comcast allegedly trying to block CenturyLink from entering its territory | Ars Technica

CenturyLink has accused Comcast of trying to prevent competition in cities and towns by making it difficult for the company to obtain reasonable franchise agreements from local authorities.

CenturyLink made the claim yesterday in a filing that asks the Federal Communications Commission to block Comcast’s proposed acquisition of Time Warner Cable (TWC) or impose conditions that prevent Comcast from using its market power to harm competitors.

Comcast has a different view on the matter, saying that CenturyLink shouldn’t be able to enter Comcast cities unless CenturyLink promises to build out its network to all residents. Without such conditions, poor people might not be offered service, Comcast argues.

This isn't the first time I've heard Comcast claiming it no longer has data caps. Earlier this year I saw a YouTube video where someone emailed Comcast about the caps and was essentially given virtually the same response.
Comcast tells government that its data caps aren’t actually “data caps� | Ars Technica

“There isn't a cap anymore. We're out of the cap business,” Executive Vice President David Cohen said in May 2012 after dropping a policy that could cut off people's service after they use 250GB in a month. Comcast's then-new approach was touted to "effectively offer unlimited usage of our services because customers will have the ability to buy as much data as they want."

Setting limits on data and charging extra when customers exceed them is precisely the type of scheme that nearly everyone besides Comcast considers to be a “data cap.” It’s the phrase normal people use to describe wireless data plans with exactly the same type of structure.

Comcast has gone so far as to ask for a correction to an article that called the limits "data caps" instead of "data thresholds" or "flexible data consumption plans." Now it’s trying to convince the government that its data limits aren’t actually data caps.

There is little difference fundamentally between Monopoly capitalism and neo-Marxism.
Net Neutrality Is 'Marxist,' According to This Koch-Backed Astroturf Group | Motherboard

A mysterious conservative group with strong ties to the Koch brothers has been bombarding inboxes with emails filled with disinformation and fearmongering in an attempt to start a "grassroots" campaign to kill net neutrality—at one point suggesting that "Marxists" think that preserving net neutrality is a good idea.

The emails, which come with subject lines like "Stop Obama's federal Internet takeover," come from American Commitment, an organization that is nonprofit in name only and has been called out time and time again by journalists and transparency organizations for obscuring where it gets its funding.

[Giantone]

Long but a good read .


Behind Comcast’s truthy ad campaign for net neutrality - The Washington Post

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by Giantone

Long but a good read .


Behind Comcast’s truthy ad campaign for net neutrality - The Washington Post

Yeah, its basically the equivalent of a parole saying something like 'I swear I will remain drug free.' Of course neglecting to mention that passing mandatory drug test are a condition of their release.

I actually saw this the other day as well and couldn't help but laugh
Comcast's Cohen to regulators: 'Don't make us the next Blockbuster' - FierceCable

"In 2005," Cohen noted, "Blockbuster looked so dominant in home video that FTC antitrust concerns barred it from acquiring a competitor Hollywood Video. Has anyone seen any Blockbusters around recently? Today, virtually the entire bricks and mortar video rental industry has all but disappeared."

Ironically enough I do agree with him that Comcast is a legitimate risk to disappear sooner rather than later. However when that comes to pass it will be Comcast own doing. So much of their growth and market share has been based on acquisitions and anti-competitive practices such as exclusivity agreements with townships and threats to leave town if they have to compete with current infrastructure. Very little of it is based on organic growth and cutting edge products. Or at the very least economical products that are reasonably priced.

You can't expect to gouge customers, provide terrible service, actively sabotage the free market, and lobby for terrible policies, among many other terrible practices (such as the possibility of collusion with other cable companies) and hope to elicit sympathy when you face the risk of going belly up. They are practically a modern day Enron less the Accounting scandal.

[Dirtbag59]

So they finally admitted it.

ISPs tell government that congestion is not a problem, impose data caps anyway | Ars Technica

After consulting focus groups of Internet customers, government researchers have come to a conclusion that should surprise no one: people don't want data caps on home Internet service.

But customers are getting caps anyway, even though ISPs admit that congestion isn't a problem. The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released preliminary findings of research involving surveys of cellular carriers, home Internet providers, and customers.

The majority of top wireline ISPs are at least experimenting with data caps. But while cellular carriers say they impose usage-based pricing (UBP) to manage congestion on wireless networks, that's not the case with cable, fiber, and DSL. "Some wireless ISPs told us they use UBP to manage congestion," the GAO wrote. On the other hand, "wireline ISPs said that congestion is not currently a problem."

[Dirtbag59]

In case you had any doubt that telecom companies operate similar to crime syndicates.....

How big telecom smothers city-run broadband | Ars Technica

At a meeting three weeks after Bowling introduced Senate Bill 2562, the state’s three largest telecommunications companies—AT&T, Charter, and Comcast Corp.—tried to convince Republican leaders to relegate the measure to so-called “summer study,” a black hole that effectively kills a bill. Bowling, described as “feisty” by her constituents, initially beat back the effort and thought she’d get a vote.

That’s when Joelle Phillips, president of AT&T’s Tennessee operations, leaned toward her across the table in a conference room next to the House caucus leader’s office and said tersely, “Well, I’d hate for this to end up in litigation,” Bowling recalls.

[Dirtbag59]

Divide and Conquer

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Received More Than $100,000 from Comcast Before Boosting Merger

Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago received numerous campaign contributions from Comcast executives before officially supporting its proposed merger with Time Warner Cable.

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is bragging of widespread support for its proposed $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE:TWC), but the victory chant is drowning out an important detail: Some of that support from public officials has followed big campaign contributions from Comcast executives.

Also, if I'm not mistaken Comcast's possible throttling of Netflix is actually being officially questioned by FCC officials though it still seems to be in the kid gloves phase. The following is a very detailed article that dates back to the start of Netflix's streaming service and their long standing feud with Comcast.

DailyTech - Comcast Forced Fees by Reducing Netflix to "VHS-Like Quality"

December 2013 and January 2014, however, congestion on routes into
Comcast's network reached a critical threshold and Comcast's and Netflix's mutual customers were significantly harmed. Comcast subscribers went from viewing Netflix content at 720p on average (i.e., HD quality) to viewing content at nearly VHS quality. For many subscribers, the bitrate was so poor that Netflix's streaming video service became unusable.

The degraded viewing quality for Comcast subscribers also resulted in a sharp increase in calls to Netflix customer support. Those calls made clear that Comcast was well aware of the degradation of Netflix traffic and was directing its subscribers to contact Netflix. The fact that the height of the congestion occurred in December and January is significant. December is one of Netflix's busiest times because members spend more time at home over the holidays and therefore request more streaming video from Netflix and other OVDs. It became clear that Comcast would continue to allow congestion across its network to negatively affect its subscribers' online video streaming experience.

[NC_Skins]

Anybody who says that net neutrality is a good thing is being paid off by the ISPs. It really is that simple. Wasn't shocked to see a Chicago politician being paid off. Thanks Obama!

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by NC_Skins

Anybody who says that net neutrality is a good thing is being paid off by the ISPs. It really is that simple. Wasn't shocked to see a Chicago politician being paid off. Thanks Obama!

The ISP's really do a great job playing both sides of the aisle. From what I can gather they go to Democrats when they want more barriers to entry and subsidies. After which they appeal to Republicans to get rid of pro consumer policies that will allow them to gouge customers and content providers. I've also seen articles suggest that outside of formal donations to political campaigns they also regularly hire friends and relatives of politicians they do business with.

I saw someone joke the other day that where as Google's motto is 'don't be evil' Comcast's seems to use 'what have you done evil today?'

Speaking of evil:
A lot of people don’t like the Comcast-Time Warner merger, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be approved - The Washington Post

“I still suspect the merger will be approved. It doesn’t seem to trip any antitrust wires, and merger conditions would let the FCC push various Internet policies it cares about," Gallant said. "But I also think the companies’ national reach in broadband is making this a closer call than Comcast-NBCU was four years ago.”

Meanwhile Comcast top evangilist/Executive VP David Cohen is wondering why's everybody always pickin on Comcast.
Cohen Slams Critics of TWC Deal | Multichannel

Comcast executive vice president David Cohen says some critics of his company's proposal to merge with Time Warner Cable are programmers who failed to negotiate better contracts in exchange for supporting the deal. He did not name names of those whose support was for sale.

"As in many prior transactions, various parties have attempted to use this review to advance agendas that have nothing to do with this transaction and to seek government support for parochial business interests that in many cases are seeking more money and distribution for themselves," he said in a lengthy blog posting Monday taking aim at the deal's critics, but also pointing out that it had a lot of fans as well.

And who are those fans....um mein fuher....Steiner
Comcast donations help company secure support for Time Warner Cable merger | Ars Technica

After all its not as if years of bad karma built on screwing over customers and paying off politicians isn't coming back to haunt them. No its content providers that are looking to screw Comcast.

In Net Neutrality news:
Sunlight: 99 percent of net neutrality comments wanted stronger FCC rules - The Washington Post

The Sunlight Foundation has just wrapped its weeks-long study of the more than 1 million initial comments filed to federal regulators on net neutrality. The top-line results are unsurprising, with less than 1 percent of 800,000 commenters calling for Internet providers to be regulated more lightly. That's consistent with a major push by consumer advocates to convince FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to adopt stronger rules on ISPs.

So friendly reminder, if you are against said merger comment by clicking ZE LINK BELOW! NAO!!!
Comcast - Time Warner Cable, MB Docket 14-57 | FCC.gov

[Dirtbag59]

The Internet won't really slow down on Internet Slowdown Day - Tech Chronicles

The latest online demonstration to support keeping the Internet a level playing field sounds more drastic than it is: A host of left-leaning groups are calling next Wednesday “Internet Slowdown Day” to protest proposed FCC rules that would no longer force Internet service providers to treat all online traffic equally. Tech companies — from Google to the smallest startup — oppose the change, and want to preserve what they call net neutrality.

But the internet won’t actually slow down on Wednesday, Sept. 10. At least not because of this protest. Sites participating in the protest will merely post the “spinning wheel of death” icon to mark the day and urge users to contact the FCC or Congress. As Free Press, one of the organizing groups stressed Wednesday: “Sites will employ icons that symbolize a slower Internet, but will not actually load more slowly.”

Most of the US has no broadband competition at 25Mbps, FCC chair says | Ars Technica

About 80 percent of Americans homes could buy 25Mbps broadband, but generally from only one provider, he said. “At 25Mbps, there is simply no competitive choice for most Americans,” Wheeler said. “Stop and let that sink in... three-quarters of American homes have no competitive choice for the essential infrastructure for 21st century economics and democracy. Included in that is almost 20 percent who have no service at all! Things only get worse as you move to 50Mbps where 82 percent of consumers lack a choice.”

[Dirtbag59]

Unhappy Customer: Comcast Told My Employer About Complaint, Got Me Fired – Consumerist

Remember how we briefly mentioned above that Conal worked for a large, prestigious accounting firm? Comcast certainly noticed that fact, especially since that firm is one that does business with Comcast.

At some point shortly after that call, someone from Comcast contacted a partner at the firm to discuss Conal. This led to an ethics investigation and Conal’s subsequent dismissal from his job; a job where he says he’d only received positive feedback and reviews for his work.

Comcast maintained that Conal used the name of his employer in an attempt to get leverage. Conal insists that he never mentioned his employer by name, but believes that someone in the Comcast Controller’s office looked him up online and figured out where he worked.