Obama and Net Neutrality, not necessarily a total win

I was so happy to see the headline about President Obama speaking out strongly in favor of Net Neutrality! It just made me glad.

But a few days' digestion and articles are trickling out that the FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler had been working hard when I wasn't looking to develop a "hybrid proposal." Wheeler apparently believes his alternative could preserve the free and open nature of the Internet, while addressing the concerns of Internet providers that heavy users will clog the "arteries" and slow down traffic for everybody. Apparently, Wheeler was trying to put together a coalition of major players and convince them that his plan would work. And apparently, he was just starting to get some folks on board, when President Obama opened his big mouth and blew it all apart.

Now, it may not be a bad thing, because I am not convinced that Wheeler's alternative is actually going to preserve those aspects of Net Neutrality that I value. Obama's call to arms moves the parties involved away from compromise, or at least into a holding pattern, according to an in-depth article by the Washington Post.

At the start of this year, AT&T, Verizon and Comcast, among others, announced that they intended to enclose the Internet, and institute "pay to play" and additional fees so that those who were willing to pay more would get faster Internet download and upload speeds. Make no mistake, these large corporations see opportunity and plan to exploit it as far as they are allowed. But there has been a huge push-back, much of it from equally large, well-funded companies like Google, Twitter, Netflix, AOL, but also Bank of America, UPS, Visa and Ford. (Here is an interesting chart listing the largest lobbyers on both sides).

So, I guess it's a good thing that I wasn't spiffy doodle throwing up a congratulatory blog post here about President Obama's speech. I just don't know which way will work out best. But I know I want to preserve a free an open Internet! But it is interesting how some comments to the FCC have more effect than others. As George Orwell wrote in Animal Farm, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

The decoration for this blog post just happens to echo Napoleon the Pig's statement above, though it's about Net Neutrality. The image is signed by Kurt Griffith, 2006. It is featured now on a petition page for Net Neutrality by WatchDog.Net (http://act.watchdog.net/petitions/4565). I believe the petition is active and is in response to FCC Chair Tom Wheeler's negotiations for his hybrid model.

FCC says Conference Centers & Hotels May Not Block Visitors' Wi-Fi Hotspots

The FCC has reached an agreement with Marriott to pay a $60,000 penalty to resolve their investigation into a complaint that employees of a Marriott-managed conference center were sending de-authentication packets to prevent exhibitors and attendees from using their personal Wi-Fi hotspots. Marriott was then charging them $250 - $1,000 per device to connect to the conference center's Internet!

“Consumers who purchase cellular data plans should be able to use them without fear that their personal Internet connection will be blocked by their hotel or conference center,” said Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc. “It is unacceptable for any hotel to intentionally disable personal hotspots while also charging consumers and small businesses high fees to use the hotel’s own Wi-Fi network. This practice puts consumers in the untenable position of either paying twice for the same service or forgoing Internet access altogether,” he added.

(from the FCC press release dated Oct. 3, 2014.) The press release has a handy link directly to the Consent Decree, but I am including it here, in case the press release vanishes.

Remember this next time a hotel or conference center blocks your Wi-Fi hotspot. Now you know what to do.
Superman image credited to Flickr.

Net Neutrality news

Folks who have been following the Net Neutrality news might have been cast down when the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit handed down Verizon v. F.C.C., Docket No. 11-1355, January 14, reissued January 15, 2014 (too early for a reporter number, apparently, but something in F3d).

Now the F.C.C. has responded, declaring their intention to propose new rules supporting Net Neutrality. Here are the headliners from Chairman Tom Wheeler's statement:

1. Propose new rules. I intend to ask my fellow commissioners to:

* Enforce and enhance the transparency rule.

* Fulfill the “no blocking” goal.

* Fulfill the goals of the non-discrimination rule

2. Keep Title II authority on the table.

3. Forgo judicial review of the Verizon decision.

4. Solicit public comment.

5. Hold Internet Service Providers to their commitment.

6. Enhance competition.

Visit the linked website for the FCC statement because there is a lot of commentary for each of these statements that you should read. But I am so cheered by the FCC's response! Yay!

The image is a photo of FCC chair Tom Wheeler dated May 1, 2013 credited to AFP photographyer Saul Loeb, from an article at AFP news site, "US renews 'Open Internet' push after court order" story by Rob Lever dated today, (2/19/14).

Ch-ch-changes -- Landlines bite the dust

More unintended consequences. After Hurricane Sandy, Verizon complained that they really did not want to re-install the copper telephone lines that the storm had destroyed along the New York - New Jersey shore.  For one in four US households, that would not be a problem, according to U.S. Telecom, a trade group that is watching trends in this area.  More households are simply relying on their cell phones and dropping the landline entirely.  However, in rural areas where cell connection is poor, and for people who have medical devices that use telephone connections to "report in,"  landlines are still crucial, according to an AP report.

As with so many technology switch-overs that librarians deal with, this is one more where there is an awkward period between the old and new.  Some folks still rely on the old technology and it's becoming increasingly costly to maintain the old.  In the wake of a disaster like Hurricane Sandy, which destroyed miles of cable, it would cost a very great deal to lay new wiring, which would only be used by a few customers.  Probably even they would only use the landlines for a few years. 

New York state regulators have given Verizon permission to substitute wireless service for landlines in these area.  The result is that folks with pacemakers, shopkeepers and restaurants that need to verify creditcards, fax machines fail.  In June, the New York attorney general filed an emergency petition to halt the switchover in the Catskill Mountains area.  In New Jersey, the state regulators are still considering Verizon's petition. 

In Washington, D.C., the FCC is considering a similar petition from AT&T to switch customers from landlines to wireless. AT&T is not dealing with storm damage, but is looking at long term economics. They want to select trial areas and see how things go.  This seems better to plan and test the market rather than respond to emergency conditions, at least.

The image of an antique, crank telephone is courtesy of http://filmnorthflorida.com/photos/tag_list/crank+wall+telephone/ the film liaison of Escambia County, Florida. The caption for the photo notes it is a 1901 telephone that is mounted on a kitchen wall and is still in operation.