Google was being held up by lawsuits and it was expensive. They are looking at a wireless gigabit solution instead.
Ultimately, what I think will keep it in line is if the big social media providers block the first ISP that even thinks about messing with it, and that will get folks attention. It’s going to take something drastic like that.
I filed my comment with the FCC just now. I urge others to do the same. It takes one minute.
Done! Tried earlier but as you said above, the site was crushed earlier. Seemed to work OK this time.
I did as well. Pissing in the wind has become a favorite pastime of mine in 2017!
Question for you…
I got a confirmation number, but was never emailed a confirmation by the FCC. Did you get one? My opinion is also not up on the site yet. I’m wondering if there’s some delay.
Same as you. I’d be shocked if there wasn’t a delay, considering how many folks are obviously submitting comments. I took a screenshot of my confirmation number for reference, but I expect I’ll see the email in the next 24 hours or so as their system catches up.
Heh, I did the same.
I clicked the link, but I can’t parse whatever it sent me to.
I’m on a “search for proceedings results” page.
Guys, I don’t want to discourage you from commenting, but if you’re going to be putting a lot of effort somewhere on this, the public consultation is not the place. It’s not going to change shit this time round. You should be directing your efforts at the companies that will (or will not) be writing the rules into their contracts and to the legislators who can write primary legislation on the subject.
Talking to an ISP is less effective than explaining quantum mechanics to a cat.
At least the cat might pretend to listen to you.
The ISPs don’t give a shit. What are you going to do, switch providers to their non-existent competitor?
I’m not suggesting talking to them. I’m suggesting political action. It’s just that it should be directed at them, not the FCC. The FCC vote is a lock and political pressure can’t do a thing.
Opinions submitted are publicly viewable. If they get a billion submissions arguing for net neutrality, that can be covered by the media and create political pressure.
And it takes no effort at all.
Click the link, click express, then fill out the form. Took me less than 5 minutes total.
I mean… sure? How am I supposed to take political action against a private company?
Buy a Senator?
Boycott, pressure advertisers, shareholders, local politicians whose approval they need for various things, protest public meetings. The standard activism suite.
Where, exactly is the pressure going to come from? There are three FCC members right now. Two of them are avowed opponents of net neutrality and Title II regulation. They already voted against it before, when there was massive public outcry. The only Democrat on the board is about to be replaced by another Republican, who is also going to be anti net neutrality, because it’s a partisan issue for some stupid reason. There is no way the FCC doesn’t approve this. The only realistic hope of overturning it until there is a Democratic majority on the FCC is to pressure Congress to legislate it, and the only realistic way to ameliorate the effects of the new rules in the near term is to pressure the companies who are going to be self-regulating.
Like I say, by all means make your voice heard. But that’s all you’re doing by commenting at this stage.
Boycotting a monopoly doesn’t end well.
ISPs are pretty much a utility, most tactics don’t work on them. The best bet is trying to get local ISPs and the like, which lots of people have been doing for years all around the country, but often the ISPs just buy local politicians and prevent everything. Which is the problem of trying to battle a monopoly.
I mean most of what you’re suggesting people have been doing for years now.
In a lot of the country, there’s a single option. How do you boycott that? Just go without internet?
If you want to do something with a chance of affecting the outcome, yes. But, realistically, legislation is the way forward at this point. Political pressure can be applied to Congress, at least enough of it to make a difference.
Or Netflix. Can you imagine if Netflix said something like, “Sorry Comcast customers. You can’t have Netflix anymore as long as you’re on Comcast. We recommend switching to the following ISPs that are available in your service area…”
Of course that only works if there’s choice, which all too often there is not.
If something like that happened, personally I’d cancel immediately and settle for some cheap/crappy local Mom & Pop outfit. At least for a month or two, anyway, while the situation plays out and I look for better options. I bet I wouldn’t be the only one.