EVIL ATT To Start Capping DSL Services In May

This post from Electonista says it all.

Starting in May, ATT will start capping DSL use at 150 GB. A $10 fee will be assess for an additional 50 GB.

Does this affect you and how you use the Internet?

Let me do some simple math on this. This comes to 4.93 GB a day. Frankly, I think this is so bogus.

We are increasingly relying on our Internet services for streaming media and to get pertinent information. Heck, I don't even own a TV.

This just isn't right. Unfortunately, I think ATT will get away with this given the political atmosphere in Washington and the GOP not want the FCC to do anything at all.

Make no mistake about this. This is about GREED. And this can potentially destroy the Internet and innovation.

If there was ever a time for anyone in Washington to show some backbone, coming out against this would be an easy win.

More here.

FCC Free Broadband Vote on Dec 18th

First white spaces and now maybe AWS-3.  If you recall, we've dicsussed the importance of the coming vote on AWS-3 because of the mandate that the winner of the auction would be required to allocate part of the bandwidth to provide for a free national broadband access.

This has been the brainchild of the outgoing FCC chairman Kevin Martin.  It was first proposed back in 2006 and on December 18th, it may become reality if the outcome by the FCC is in our favor.  This has gotten Dave the mobile warrior very excited. So excited in fact, he had to send me a remind in the form of an USA Today article.

And we all should be excited.  Forget the fact that it's free broadband access.  It means millions of Americans who do not have or cannot afford) fast access to the Internet and the vast treasure of information will now be able to get onto the information superhighway that many of us have taken for granted.  Education, jobs, competitions.  Free flow of information to even more people.

Be sure to stay tuned for the results and the impacts.  I'll say this now.  The future impact should the FCC do the right thing will mean a great deal to the future generations.

I also want to say this issue has not made everyone happy, particular T-Mobile (read here for reasons why) and telecoms in general who are in the market for profit.  At the end of the day, it is about profit, not about subsidies.  I don't care for subsidies.  But it is about parity, and that is important.

Via USA Today

Related Onxo Links on this matter:

• AWS-3 Saga Continues
• M2Z wants bring you free broadband.
• Wireless access like healthcare debate.

Daily Update for November 3, 2008

The biggest news today is the Federal Communications Commission delay tomorrow's scheduled vote on a few issues that matter a great deal to mobile warriors.

Why the delay?  White spaces?  Not.  that's is still going to go forward.  Here are a few links if you haven't been following.

However, the Universal Service Fund reform would have to wait.  Daily Wireless and Yahoo News has the scoop.

I'll prepare a points summary for those who don't want to read the whole article this evening.

For today's other mobile headlines, please visit Mobile Digerati.

White Spaces Battle Update

We last updated you on Monday when the broadcasters, NBA, MLB, and the NFL lobbied the FCC to delay the November 4th vote.  And other the other side, we got Dell, Google, Microsoft, and Motorola.  Sprinkled on top are national legislators.

Guess who else got involved?  Dolly Parton.  I'll cut to the chase.  I'm guessing someone wrote the letter to the FCC and Dolly just signed it.  Seriously, she's cool.  I mean it.  She knows music, the business, and she looks great.

But white spaces she knows not.  She's joined by a lot of other singers who fear interference from white spaces devices on their performances.  I'm not dismissing their concerns.  However, according to Cnet, "The report noted that geo-location technology, which uses a database to help devices identify and avoid spectrum bands known to already be in use, worked very well in avoiding interference".

Anyway, my feeling is that this will go ahead on November 4th.  There'll be a lot of election results to watch on Election Day.

Links:

• Onxo summarizes latest White Spaces battle.
• FCC Endorses White Spaces Use For Wireless Internet.
• The Register
• CNet News 
• Information Week 
• Fierce Wireless explains more about the performers' concerns 

Skype To FCC on "Open"

Skype answers wireless providers who believe too much choices resulting from an open network is bad for consumers.  In Skype's letter to the FCC, the VOIP raised concerns regarding networks' claim of dominion over users in a feign effort to protect consumers from having to choose.

First I have to disclose that I'm a Skype customer and I love their services.  Now, I side with Skype on this.  The wireless providers are fighting against the tide in all this.  Why is Skype caught up in all this?

Wireless providers usually have another source of revenue.  Voice plans.  And in providing wireless Internet access, VOIP applications may endanger voice revenues.  It is not about too much choices here.  It's is about protecting their turf.

For example, I use Fring on the iPhone but only on Wi-Fi networks, not the 3G network.  Clearly, this limitation was placed on iPhone users by ATT.  Apple could care less.  Take another example.  T-Mobile has an agreement with Google to limit VOIP on the G1.  As excited about it as I am getting the Android phone, I think that's a huge slap in the face for all users.  We'll know in 12 days the extent of this limitation. But from the initial information we got from the G1 press event, T-Mobile may not even allow VOIP to be installed on the G1.

Back to these wireless guys.  They have totally parse the discussion and, in my mind, have had some success in redefining what "open" mean for mobile users.  Skype should not be the only one fight this issue.  I am surprise no one seems to be doing much about it.

Google has done a lot in getting the FCC to make segments of the 700Mhz open but Verizon is already trying to change what that means.  People want choices.  A couple of months ago Verizon CEO asked the audience at the same CTIA event Skype talked about in their letter to the FCC if they wanted an open network, he was met with a resounding affirmation and applause, something that seemingly caught him by surprise.  Of course, he eventually recovered and told the audience that they don't want that.  Talk about being out of touch, eh?

Why are they being like this?  $14 Billion of non-voice revenues that they are trying to protect.  That's why.

Source:  RCR Wireless

Note:  The full letter from Skype to the FCC is here at Fierce Wireless.  From the letter:

• Applications are blocked even on the most recently-announced advanced handsets.
  
• Skype's application is forbidden, blocked and otherwise interfered with by the largest CTIA members.
  
• When a Skype user can legally call the Chairman of the FCC on the mobile broadband networks of each of the top three wireless networks, we will know that their conduct is consistent with the consumer empowerment principles of the Internet Policy Statement.
  
• CTIA is currently suing the Commission to overturn the very openness rule they now claim to embrace.
  
• Quoted Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer.  "Consumers aren't getting all they want when companies are very proprietary and lock their products down...I would like to write some more powerful apps than what you're allowed."

Related Onxo posts:

• G1 and T-Mobile terms
• T-Mobile less evil by revoking 1GB limitation on 3G.  Still reserves right to be more evil in the future.
• Mobile providers wants to continue "stewardship".
• Clearwire talks about Wimax 
• XOHM restrictions; now, I'm not as excited about WiMax.
• Sprint welcomes WiMax customers by being evil.

Wireless Access Is Like Healthcare Debate

A couple of days ago, in an interview with USA Today, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said he would like to see wireless broadband access for all of the US, particularly rural areas.  As Martin put it, it's a social obligation.  As some people believe it, it is a necessity for the twenty first century.

While noble endeavor, there are issues that needs to be resolved before this can go forward.  What does Martin want the FCC to accomplish?

• FCC is particular concerned about the rural area being left behind where Sat broadband and dial-ups dominate.
• Will want to use wireless spectrum to bridge gap between rural and urban areas.
• Will want only 25% of this block of spectrum be used to offer free wireless.
• This spectrum is known as AWS-3.  
• T-Mobile, who paid for AWS-1 believes this will disrupt their services.
• FCC engineers are working on interference issues.  
• The universal service fund will be used to subsidize cost for lower-income families - traditional phone companies operating in rural areas will object because they draw on the fund to offset costs (or pad profits).

Just how successful can Chairman Martin be? 

Well, if this is going to be anything like healthcare, not very.  Here is why I think this will be like health care.  Going forward, wireless technology will revolutionize everything we do and how we do it.  Specifically, the how we will do it is the most important aspect about mobility.

There will be billions at stake.  Consider the two camps in health care.  One wants a government sponsored healthcare while the other wants no government involvement but liberalizing the laws to allow for great competition to keep cost down and, hopefully, better care in the process.

Now back to wireless.  On one side, there is the side of the telecoms who believes competition and a hands off approach from the FCC and other government entities (hint, hint...Congress) will foster innovation and lower costs.  On the other hand, there are those who are pushing for free access for everyone.

Free access is to government sponsored healthcare as is private insurances competing for our business is to telecoms competing to for our wireless business.

In the United States, we abhor big government and the fiscal conservatives makes sure we don't forget it.  But we are also a charitable people.  There is a sense also that we are falling behind in areas of technology.  With a society that is connected literally and figuratively, the US can only be in a better position in a global economy that requires instant information and a workforce that is well versed with the right skills and tools to compete effectively.

Good luck.  Love to see it happen finally.  There definitely is a middle ground to make it happen.  We just need the will to make it so.