Comments on: Metered internet services rearing ugly head

By: Sterling Camden

Sterling Camden — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 20:15:49 +0000

It seems to me it’s supply and demand. With all the fiber optic cable that’s already in the ground, and growing wireless access availability, telcos can’t afford to price themselves out of the business. Competition is growing, not shrinking. Not a good time to raise prices in any fashion.

By: darkmoon

darkmoon — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 19:29:47 +0000

True. I’m totally against the whole metering, mainly because… gee.. what is there to gain from this? Let’s put it into perspective. Verizon is currently withholding 80% of their fiber for their personal projects with video distribution. Are they going to back-charge themselves? There is no good reason except lining the pockets of the management team. I say this also, because you won’t see more jobs, or better pay at the telcos. Nothing good comes from it except on the top, getting whopping bonuses. I’ll pay for it, if they can justify the increase. So far, there is no justification that’s reasonable in the eyes of a consumer or a business.

Oil is different, since it was never flat-feed to begin with that I can remember.

As far as ad-hoc the US, Seattle is a great example. Seattle Wireless has done a pretty good job of adhocing via WiFi. True, that you have to run Internet to get Internet, but with MAKE, hackaday, and all sorts of other hobbyist sites out there… be it commercial or amateur, it will be done if forced into action.

In the end, I agree. We probably won’t need to go to the drastic measures of ad-hoc. I hope that the Internet Non-Discrimination Act of 2006, actually does something and puts them in their place. But always good to think about it, in case the Bells actually corrupt enough politicians to pass their crazy ideas.

By: TDavid

TDavid — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 19:08:40 +0000

Adhoc the US, interesting thought there, darkmoon. Personally, think there would be wayyy too many people up in arms for them to turn back on this now. Sort of reminds me a bit of how the RIAA reacted to music (sue the customers). You can’t alienate your customer base at large and be successful. Profit margins sooner or later depend on all of us paying the $$$$. Of course look at the oil barons … they keep finding a way to stick it to us at the pump.

By: darkmoon

darkmoon — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 18:59:57 +0000

The only reason this is happening is lining the pockets of management teams of those telcos. If this is the case, I would seriously think about antitrust suits where they don’t allow other providers in on the action, but they’re in fact a coalition monopoly.

What’s most amusing about this, is that while it will not kill Internet, a lot of people will be developing wireless methods around this. Why can’t you adhoc the US? HAM radio does. I think that they will be sufficiently shooting themselves in the foot if this happens as entrepeneurs will strive to create the next big thing with the absense of the Internet.

Since it’ll kill online gaming (MMORPGs, FPS, etc) and browsers in general, we’ll definitely see a lot more use of lynx/elinks and pine back up again. ASCII art here we come. Ahh..talk about nostalgia from the good ole’ days.