National Broadband Plan
Artys
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.
Al
If people in your area can't afford a computer, they don't have to
worry about dial up versus broadband. Have them vote for more library
computers. The only thing forcing dial up out is the fact that DSL and
others are now so cheap. DSL only cost $19.95/mo. where I live and I
still use dial up for $9.95. I'll be changing soon.
Les Cargill
> 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.
Not necessarily. Is this the article?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125858121746254383.html
It says nothing about new taxes.
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.
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
BigDog1
The FCC is not trying to force anyone off of dial up and on to
broadband. And there's no "new law." What they're doing is
increasing the deployment of broadband service into areas that don't
have it. See:
Those who wish to join the 21st century will be able to. Those who
wish to stay in the 80's and remain on dial up will be free to do
that. What will probably happen though, is that dial up service
providers will begin to die off as their subscribers move to
broadband. That's a good thing. Dial up sucks. If I lived where
dial up was my only option I'd move...really...seriously...I'd move!
And by the way, no one "can't afford" a computer. What that usually
translates to is they don't want to pay for one. Basic laptops can be
had for less than $400.00 and basic desktops for around $250.00 these
days. I recently saw an ad for a refurbished Dell Aspire laptop for
$265.00. Anyone who's truly too poor to afford one, or too stupid to
manage their money so they can buy a basic computer, doesn't need the
internet and doesn't care.
Michael Black
> And by the way, no one "can't afford" a computer. What that usually
> translates to is they don't want to pay for one. Basic laptops can be
> had for less than $400.00 and basic desktops for around $250.00 these
> days. I recently saw an ad for a refurbished Dell Aspire laptop for
> $265.00. Anyone who's truly too poor to afford one, or too stupid to
> manage their money so they can buy a basic computer, doesn't need the
> internet and doesn't care.
>
You're paying too much. There are lots of used computers available for
less that are available cheap. Or as a hand me down from someone they
know.
What would be the limiting factor is internet access. A monthly bill
that may be harder to scrape up the money to pay for than to find a decent
free or cheap computer.
Years ago, some people felt internet access was so important that it
should be free, hence the freenet or community network movement. Sadly,
that's pretty much faded, initially internet access was so unavailable
that people who could pay would be getting access via freenets, and they
helped support it for those who couldn't pay (well theoretically, it's
never been clear if the people who had no money actually got online as a
result). But as the commercial ISP rose up, people went to those for
the lack of limitations, and freenets faded, often unable to support
themselves.
Michael
BigDog1
> On Thu, 19 Nov 2009, BigDog1 wrote:
> > And by the way, no one "can't afford" a computer. What that usually
> > translates to is they don't want to pay for one. Basic laptops can be
> > had for less than $400.00 and basic desktops for around $250.00 these
> > days. I recently saw an ad for a refurbished Dell Aspire laptop for
> > $265.00. Anyone who's truly too poor to afford one, or too stupid to
> > manage their money so they can buy a basic computer, doesn't need the
> > internet and doesn't care.
>
> You're paying too much. There are lots of used computers available for
> less that are available cheap. Or as a hand me down from someone they
> know.
No, not really. I was referring to new equipment and should have been
more specific. I take your point though. But, used is a problem for
me. In my state used merchandise is sold, by law, "as is, where is."
What you see is what you get. Great deals can certainly be had, but
let's face it; anyone who in 2009 is just buying their first computer
probably isn't savvy enough to properly check out a used one to make
sure they're getting something serviceable. Yeah, there are civil
remedies for something that's not useful for it's intended purpose
(ie: warranty of merchantability), but whose going to jump through
those hoops over a $100 used computer? Anyone who comes to me for
advice about buying a computer or major peripheral, gets warned off of
used stuff.
Hand me downs to/from friends and family members are a different
matter. But I don't think those happen often enough to be a viable
source in general terms.
> What would be the limiting factor is internet access. A monthly bill
> that may be harder to scrape up the money to pay for than to find a decent
> free or cheap computer.
Very true. But it depends on where you are. My local phone company
offers an entry level 785Kbps (or there-abouts) DSL service for $19.95
a month. That's a fixed price, not a low ball introductory offer. By
broadband standards thats not very fast, but it's way better than dial-
up, and more than adequate for email, on line banking and bill paying,
shopping, and general surfing. Most dial up providers in this area
charge about $15 or more per month. I have no idea why anyone would
pay that, when for a few dollars more they could have DSL. If they
can afford one, they can afford the other. And there are tons of free
hot spots like the libraries and a quite a few local coffee shops.
Not very convenient, but in my opinion, better than dial up at home.
> Years ago, some people felt internet access was so important that it
> should be free, hence the freenet or community network movement. Sadly,
> that's pretty much faded, initially internet access was so unavailable
> that people who could pay would be getting access via freenets, and they
> helped support it for those who couldn't pay (well theoretically, it's
> never been clear if the people who had no money actually got online as a
> result). But as the commercial ISP rose up, people went to those for
> the lack of limitations, and freenets faded, often unable to support
> themselves.
I think internet access is that important! I'm old enough to have
spent the majority of my adult life without home computers, the
internet, cell phones, and satellite TV. I enjoy having all of it,
but I could learn to get along without my cell phone and satellite
TV. In fact, I think in many ways my life would be better without
them. But no computer or internet! Perish the thought.
The internet is much more important to our economy, the environment,
and general quality of life, even if they don't use it, than many
people realize. From my perspective, we'd all be better off if the
government spent more of it's time and energy, and my tax dollars,
getting high speed internet and wifi deployed either free, or
sufficiently subsidized that it's affordable to everyone, than most of
the social and environmental engineering programs currently underway.
> Michael
Artys
Hello everybody,
You must not have much unemployment in your area. We do. People
are afraid they will be out of their houses and apartments, and that
is why they do not try to get internet access where they live. Food
is important to most people.
BigDog1
That's regrettable, but irrelevant. Your original post said you read
a WSJ article that was "about the FCC trying to force
people onto broadband by a new law."
That's just not true. You either misunderstood what you read, or the
writer had no idea what he was talking about. With the low regard I
have for the news media, I'd be more inclined to believe the latter
than the former.
I'd be interested in the name of the writer, as well as the date the
article was published.
Rick Merrill
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.