National Broadband Plan

 

Hello group,

  Here I am on dial-up, and I went to the library and read the Wall
Street Journal.  It had an article about the FCC trying to force
people onto broadband by a new law.  They want to increase taxes on
telephones, and perhaps other things.  Here in my area, so many people
cannot afford a computer, that the library ones are always crowded.  I
guess the companies like netzero will be forced out of business.  I
have my art website and email, and they are important to me, but I
cannot afford the higher prices.  If you agree with me, call your
Congressman and tell them that you oppose this plan.

 

In article


It would help if you cited a bill number. Also, what's your monthly
payment for dial-up ISP service and where do you live? DSL is getting so
cheap these days in many areas that for a modest fee that's typically no
more then paying for a second line to use for dial-up, you can get
broadband Internet service that blows away your dial-up service in speed
even though its not as fast as the higher priced broadband plans.

 

Artys wrote:

Not necessarily. Is this the article?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125858121746254383.html

It says nothing about new taxes.

   I

It is just my particular situation, but I pay less for cable
modem (plus cable TV) than I would for dial up plus a phone
line. I have  VoIP phone service that works better than* a
land line. It is totally frugal.

*quality is better, but it won't be there in a power failure
unless I buy a good UPS. I have my cel phone.

Are you positive you cannot get DSL? By the '96 Telecomms Act,
your phone company must at least have a plan in place. You may
be eligible for low-cost service and not know it. WiMax is
becoming commonplace in "underserved areas."

One possible resource is a Linux Users Group in your
area. They probably have a website, and are frequently
knowlegeable about these things. And if nothing else,
buy a WAP* that can be configured as a wireless bridge
and cantenna and find a sympathetic neighbor with
broadband.

*wireless access point, possibly running dd-wrt or the like.

I put all them ten dollar words in there so you can use them to
ask questions of people local to you.

--
Les Cargill

 

Artys wrote:

I believe the article on National Broadband Plan misstates the FCC
goals. They want the Broadband companies to make internet accessible TO
EVERYBODY either by wires (cable) or over the air (WIFI).

In other words, the long term goal is to make the internet like the
telephone: not only universally accessible, but eventually to become a
RIGHT.  For example, your phone cannot be disconnected for non-payment
without a due-process operation.