Comments on: Is Cheap Wireless Broadband for Real This Time?

By: Video: FCC Chief Talks About the National Broadband Plan – GigaOM

Video: FCC Chief Talks About the National Broadband Plan – GigaOM — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:32:20 +0000

[...] Is Cheap Wireless Broadband for Real This time? [...]

By: Free or low-cost broadband part of the government plan? I’ll pass, thanks. » Phantom Computer Services - Premier IT service company in the Santa Clarita Valley.

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:16:11 +0000

[...] As the much anticipated National Broadband Plan is close to the big reveal, the FCC may be setting aside part of the spectrum for free (or low-cost) wireless broadband access. A decent story about it can also be found here. [...]

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:02:23 +0000

by saying it's the "post office" of broadband, are you saying it is going to be a poorly run organization that is going to lose of billions of dollars annually? Or that it's the inefficient alternative to private sector providers? If this is the case. I totally agree.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:55:37 +0000

Amen, I think this is just another attempt for the government to try to get more control. Cost is NOT an issue it's more about rural areas. Anyone who has broadband available in their area can get it for around $15-$20/mo. Anyone who cannot come up with that amount of money on a monthly basis, needs more help than just free internet. They might not be blazing across the pipes, but that certainly provides very usable connectivity for what most people use the internet for.

By: Jonathan Heiliger

Jonathan Heiliger — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:58:57 +0000

With or without govt subsidies, is there a viable business model for high-speed wireless in rural markets? Strangely, those are the customers who are the least connected (broadly speaking), as they're far removed from urban fiber networks. If I were building a company in this space, I would steer clear of subsidies that bring potential shackles.

By: Brett Glass

Brett Glass — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:45:59 +0000

Government should not compete with the private sector. Want to be sure that people who are in genuine financial need (not just moochers) can buy broadband service? Distribute vouchers. Don't harm the very providers who are busting their butts trying to roll out and improve the service.

By: Stacey Higginbotham

Stacey Higginbotham — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:36:25 +0000

Loic, I agree with you, but there are still people trying to ban books, legislate sexual behavoir and impose any number of filters on aspects of all of our lives simply because it offends them. And politicians listen to them, because they moan the loudest in forums that politicians pay attention too. So a debate over filters may be in the future.

By: nexttolastblog

nexttolastblog — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:27:14 +0000

It seems surreal that 93 million Americans are not connected to broadband today. I know cost is a big issue. If not for universal service approach; where would phones, highways and electric service be? Time for affordable broadband on broadcasters white space.

By: Kevin Walsh

Kevin Walsh — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:58:54 +0000

I suggest we refrain from using terms like “free” when talking about programs of these types. As Stacey points out, even if the spectrum is free, these are very, very expensive networks to build and operate. So what Washington really means when the say “free broadband” is “broadband that someone else pays for.”

The only question is who.

By: Loic

Loic — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:28:39 +0000

Children of people benefiting from the "Universal Service Fund" for phone can use their phone to access porn/escort/etc. service too. Actually, a 16yo kid can drive on the federally subsidized Interstate to see prostitutes too...

Come on, the whole argument "allocating a federal resource (spectrum) to provide free broadband which children could use to access porn" is bogus. You can do so much more with free broadband, that offset the supposedly bad things you could do.

This reminds me the internet policy in my university in early 90's. The campus admin told us that we could watch as much porn as we want (it was pictures mostly at that time), there will be no monitoring/filtering... after a while almost nobody watch porn on campus. There are so much more interesting things to do online.

If parents are concerned about their kids internet usage (they probably should), then they have to monitor it (like they will do with their car or TV). The gov is not a parent substitute.

Actually, a free broadband will be cheaper for the fed than a free AND filtered one. If people thinks it is not possible to monitor efficiently their connection, then cancel you free broadband connection.