OH SHIT, SON! The FCC just redefined broadband to be 25Mbps and up. ISPs pissed as hell, Republicans - Polidicks

[t]https://thenypost.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/wheelert.jpg[/t] [I]You thought I was your puppet! HA! HA![/I] [URL="http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/29/7932653/fcc-changed-definition-broadband-25mbps"]The FCC has changed the definition of broadband[/URL] [QUOTE]As part of its 2015 Broadband Progress Report, the Federal Communications Commission has voted to change the definition of broadband by raising the minimum download speeds needed from 4Mbps to 25Mbps, and the minimum upload speed from 1Mbps to 3Mbps, which effectively triples the number of US households without broadband access. Currently, 6.3 percent of US households don't have access to broadband under the previous 4Mpbs/1Mbps threshold, while another 13.1 percent don't have access to broadband under the new 25Mbps downstream threshold. FCC Commissioner Tom Wheeler was vehement in his support for the new broadband standard. "When 80 percent of Americans can access 25-3, that's a standard. We have a problem that 20 percent can't. We have a responsibility to that 20 percent," Commissioner Wheeler said. "We are never satisfied with the status quo. We want better. We continue to push the limit, and that is notable when it comes to technology," FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said. "As consumers adopt and demand more from their platforms and devices, the need for broadband will increase, requiring robust networks to be in place in order to keep up. What is crystal clear to me is that the broadband speeds of yesteryear are woefully inadequate today and beyond." FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel wants to increase the minimum broadband standards far past the new 25Mbps download threshold, up to 100Mbps. "We invented the internet. We can do audacious things if we set big goals, and I think our new threshold, frankly, should be 100Mbps. I think anything short of that shortchanges our children, our future, and our new digital economy," Commissioner Rosenworcel said.[/QUOTE] Hon. Mr. Wheeler, I owe you an apology. Naturally, the big ISPs are freaking the fuck out. [URL="http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/26/cable-giants-fight-fcc-broadband-upgrade/"]Cable giants don't like the FCC's push to redefine 'broadband'[/URL] [QUOTE]You may like the FCC's proposal to upgrade the legal definition of broadband, but your internet provider probably doesn't. The industry's National Cable & Telecommunications Association has sent a letter to the FCC claiming that there's no real justification for bumping the legal definition of "broadband" to 25Mbps downstream and 3Mbps up. The lobbying group claims that advocates' arguments in favor of a speed-up "dramatically exaggerate" how much performance people typically need. Netflix may say that 25Mbps is necessary for 4K video streaming, for example, but the NCTA claims that only a "tiny fraction" of people use their service that way. The Association also wants to make sure that any change in broadband definitions won't have "regulatory significance" that makes telecoms step up their game.[/QUOTE] Engadget points out that, yes, 4K video and other broadband-heavy services aren't big [I]yet[/I], but that misses the entire point of wanting the US Internet to be [I]ready[/I] for it. If you've ever needed more proof that the ISPs are stuck in the past and are doing their best to hold back the entire country so they can keep raking in the profits, there you have it. [URL="http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/no-need-for-speed-cable-industry-opposes-25mbps-broadband-definition/"]Ars Technica has a story containing more cunty whining from the ISPs.[/URL] The Register's story on this topic gives us a hint on what we should expect from the ISPs now: [URL="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/01/29/fcc_broadband_speed/"]FCC will vote to cut off 41 million broadband users this Thursday* *This headline brought to you by the cable companies[/URL] However, don't get out the really good champagne yet. The GOP are being their usual shitty selves: [URL="http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/242010/gop-unveils-net-neutrality-bill-that-limits-fccs.html"]A draft bill has been introduced to the Senate and House by the Republicans to basically ban the FCC from touching the Internet.[/URL] [QUOTE]Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate have unveiled legislation that would require broadband providers to follow some Net neutrality principles, but would also prevent the Federal Communications Commission from enacting more stringent rules. The draft bill, released late last week, would restrict broadband providers in at least three key ways: It would prohibit broadband providers from blocking or degrading content, while also banning them from charging companies higher fees for faster delivery. The proposed bill also specifies that the restrictions apply equally to wireline and wireless providers. In addition, the measure prohibits the FCC from reclassifying broadband service as a utility. ... The proposed bill - which comes less than two weeks after FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler indicated the FCC was poised to declare broadband service a utility - obviously aims to prevent that move. "By turning the FCC away from a heavy-handed and messy approach to regulating the Internet, this draft protects both consumers who rely on Internet services and innovators who create jobs," Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, said in a statement issued on Friday. The proposal also specifies that [B]the FCC can't rely on Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act as authority for broadband regulations[/B]. That section tasks the FCC with promoting broadband deployment. The FCC currently interprets Section 706 as giving it the authority to pass a variety of Internet-related rules - including ones that would vacate state restrictions on municipal broadband. The White House, consumer advocates and others have asked the FCC to vacate muni-broadband restrictions in at least 19 states. ... Advocacy group Public Knowledge says the proposed bill doesn't prohibit Internet service providers from discriminating. For that reason, the bill "would not address discriminatory use of data caps, such as Comcast has used to favor its own streaming content over that of rivals," Public Knowledge said in a statement. The GOP-backed measure also would [B]limit the FCC's ability to create new rules[/B], meaning that it couldn't address "new forms of discrimination and threats to openness that arise," the group said.[/QUOTE] Section 706 is what the FCC is currently using to regulate the ISPs (see how well that's working), and last month the big ISPs were threaten-begging the FCC not to Title II them but use Section 706 instead. The GOP is trying to disarm the FCC entirely. FUCK YOU, Republicans. Looking ahead, the FCC will propose new regulations on February 5th, with the FCC commissioners voting on it later in the month. [URL="http://www.multichannel.com/news/fcc/wheeler-mum-open-internet-order-outlines/387440"]Tom Wheeler is keeping his mouth shut about what they are[/URL], but it's expected that the ISPs will be reclassified under Title II, bringing them under the jurisdiction of the FCC to regulate net neutrality as it regulates the phone system now. The ISPs are spreading tons of FUD about it, although Sprint is saying that it wouldn't hurt the industry (while Verizon is screaming that it'll kill them).

I want to write a sincere letter to the FCC to say that I'm sorry for ever doubting them Really hope the Democrats and Obama will fight the Republicans on this.

lmao fuck off republicans

I wonder why the republicans are angry? I wonder if it's all that bribe money :^)

Sweet, Time Warner can't call this crap they give me "blazing fast broadband" anymore.

republicans more like rudepubelickers

[QUOTE=Deaglez7;47035212]I wonder why the republicans are angry? I wonder if it's all that bribe money :^)[/QUOTE] Monopolies create more jobs than competition, that's a fact! (No, seriously, that's what this John Thune fucker is saying.)

Let's ban probably the only agency that can actually protect us from losing the Internet or having it completely mutated and abused. What could go wrong.

Christ that's awesome. Probably want to fire an email off to my congressman or something.

Damn all the black people with internet that'll run like its not 2003 Fcc I give you :golfclap: anybody wanna problem with the fcc you gotta go through me.

Broadband as in wide bandwidth? No, you mean high data transmission speed. [img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Bandwidth.svg/542px-Bandwidth.svg.png[/img] This is bandwidth. It has nothing to do with your Internet speed. This is important. You are using the word wrong. [sp]Also, not being on fiber-optics since the early 2000's LOL[/sp]

25 mega [I]bits[/I] per second? That's only 3.125 megabytes.

[QUOTE=Deaglez7;47035212]I wonder why the republicans are angry? I wonder if it's all that bribe money :^)[/QUOTE] it's because the only thing they use the internet for is to have their secretaries check their email for them

[QUOTE=Gum;47035263]25 mega [I]bits[/I] per second? That's only 3.125 megabytes.[/QUOTE] Would you call 512KB/s broadband? Because up until now, America did. This is an improvement, and one FCC chair wants to up it to 100Mbps.

[quote]The industry's National Cable & Telecommunications Association has sent a letter to the FCC claiming that there's no real justification for bumping the legal definition of "broadband" to 25Mbps downstream and 3Mbps up. The lobbying group claims that advocates' arguments in favor of a speed-up "dramatically exaggerate" how much performance people typically need.[/quote] Hahahaha oh wow get wrecked.

[QUOTE=Gum;47035263]25 mega [I]bits[/I] per second? That's only 3.125 megabytes.[/QUOTE] Yes. All internet speeds are measured in bits. This is standard practice.

Maybe a single person doesn't need 25mbps but a family of ~4 all using the internet at the same time certainly do. It's impossible for me to do anything on the internet when I'm at home (5mbps) without my brother bitching that he's trying to play LoL.

[QUOTE=MoonlessNight;47035259] This is bandwidth. It has nothing to do with your Internet speed.[/QUOTE] Bandwidth from a signal and computing standpoint are different terms. From a networking standpoint, bandwidth is defined by bitrate. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwidth_%28computing%29[/url]

Wow, this is actually pretty cool. It's almost like we're a first world country.

[QUOTE=Gum;47035263]25 mega [I]bits[/I] per second? That's only 3.125 megabytes.[/QUOTE] A significant portion of the US doesn't even have access to that kind of bandwidth currently, and even more don't pay to get that much because its prohibitively expensive. That's why its good the FCC is drilling them on this. 4 mbps down and 1 mbps up is no longer considered acceptable for a decent internet experience anymore.

[QUOTE=Gum;47035263]25 mega [I]bits[/I] per second? That's only 3.125 megabytes.[/QUOTE] 25mbps is all my family can afford from Comcast at $75/month. It wasn't until LTE started becoming widespread that families started to have internet at home faster than 3-4mbps around here.

[QUOTE=ArcticRevrus;47035309]Bandwidth from a signal and computing standpoint are different terms. From a networking standpoint, bandwidth is defined by bitrate. [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandwidth_%28computing%29[/url][/QUOTE] Well, yes, in popular usage but it's stupid and wrong.

As much as the argument "People don't typically need 25/3Mbps" is valid now. I'm pretty sure a lot of innovation will come around when there's excess bandwidth on most peoples lines. Just like how watching 1080p 60f videos STREAMED from a website would've sounded absolutely insane when dial-up was still relevant. These things happen because our technology allows it, not the other way around.

if this actually goes through isps are probably going to charge more and the poor are going to get fucked

It used to be a nightmare having a 6mbps connection. You can't even stream Neflix super HD with that. I'd go as far and say 50mbps is the minimum for a family.

[QUOTE=TreasoN.avi;47035335]As much as the argument "People don't typically need 25/3Mbps" is valid now. I'm pretty sure a lot of innovation will come around when there's excess bandwidth on most peoples lines. Just like how watching 1080p 60f videos STREAMED from a website would've sounded absolutely insane when dial-up was still relevant. These things happen because our technology allows it, not the other way around.[/QUOTE] The OP specifically highlights Engadget pointing this out: The cartel says America doesn't need 25/3 right now, and Engadget says, yeeeesss, but we [I]will[/I] in the near future, so let's prepare for that [I]now[/I]. The FCC is trying to promote innovation and competition. And Republicans are trying to stop all of it while claiming that the monopolistic state American net is in creates jobs and promotes innovation. [QUOTE=ROFLBURGER;47035337]if this actually goes through isps are probably going to charge more and the poor are going to get fucked[/QUOTE] That reminds me, I should update the OP: The FCC is expected to introduce proposed regulations next week, with a vote later this month, to put the ISPs under Title II. Title II allows the FCC to regulate pricing. If the ISPs start gouging everyone because they're pouty bitches that want to punish consumers for the free ride ending, the FCC can clamp down on them. This isn't likely to be introduced at first since the FCC is being urged to apply a light touch and not enact all Title II restrictions (it can pick parts to exclude), but it'll be an option.

[QUOTE=MoonlessNight;47035328]Well, yes, in popular usage but it's stupid and wrong.[/QUOTE] Thats not even popular usage. It is the literal definition. [url]http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bandwidth[/url]

So when are bandwidth caps going away?

[QUOTE=momoiro;47035371]So when are bandwidth caps going away?[/QUOTE] Never. The very nature of how networks are implemented does not make this possible.

Yes! Finally! Another battle won in the future of human connectivity.