The Beginning of the End, AT&T capitalizing on death of net neutrality
124 replies, posted
[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;43766328]Google Fiber just [I]might[/I] need to happen on a large scale, even though Google probably doesn't want to actually get into the business of being an ISP because that involves a massive customer support framework, and Google's had trouble with that in the past as-is. The problem with becoming big now is, you either need to go to the trouble of building out a whole new layer of infrastructure, or you're paying the big telcos and cable companies for access and reselling it. The big guys are where they are because they were paid by the US government to build out the telecommunications grid; they were basically subsidized to put up all the poles and string it all along.
The big ISPs have even managed to successfully [I]defeat[/I] municipalities' attempts to build their own fiber network because the ISP's decided that the town isn't profitable enough to even put up cable/DSL wire on the poles. In court.
Google owns a few zillion miles of dark (unused) fiber across the US, though, and it could have insane bandwidth if it was able to light it all up.[/QUOTE]
Next problem is that with the presumed lack of net neutrality now, they could be pushing their services on us just as well. They've been at it before, what's going to say they're not going to do worse since they can?
"Bandwidth Abuse"
[QUOTE=Scot;43766122]Why is america so shitty when it comes to mobile/internet?[/QUOTE]
ohohoho, you haven't seen BRAZIL yet.
some people ISP is like 1MB per minute, and they pay 200 a MONTH
So what happens when you encrypt your communications and they can't tell what kind of data is passing through?
Sssooo... They're charging you more when you use more of the service you pay for, the more you use it?
Is it all sites? So if I host a game server from home, I'm fucked?
If I like to watch a lot of YouTube videos, I'm fucked?
I'm really confused... I read the entire article and I still don't understand exactly what's going on here.
[QUOTE=SuperDuperScoot;43766552]Sssooo... They're charging you more when you use more of the service you pay for, the more you use it?
Is it all sites? So if I host a game server from home, I'm fucked?
If I like to watch a lot of YouTube videos, I'm fucked?
I'm really confused... I read the entire article and I still don't understand exactly what's going on here.[/QUOTE]
It basically means they can charge you extra depending on the kind of data you download, e.g. if they see that you're downloading a lot of video and music files they can start piling on "media access" fees or whatever the fuck they want.
Realistically, how do we fight this?
[img_thumb]http://img.talkandroid.com/uploads/2013/11/verizon.jpg[/img_thumb]
[i]"We're not gonna fuck you over.
Pinky Promise."[/i]
We would switch from uverse to xfinity, but they have yet to put in the service lines.
[QUOTE=BLOODGA$M;43766582]It basically means they can charge you extra depending on the kind of data you download, e.g. if they see that you're downloading a lot of video and music files they can start piling on "media access" fees or whatever the fuck they want.[/QUOTE]
What the fuck...
I'm assuming this is for their home internet and not their mobile phone services, right?
[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;43766605]Realistically, how do we fight this?[/QUOTE]
revolt is one way although it might not be the best way
[QUOTE=SGTNAPALM;43766605]Realistically, how do we fight this?[/QUOTE]
Raise shit with the FCC and demand they reclassify the big monopolistic ISPs as common carriers, and then reinstate the old rules or do a better job with new ones, but fucking do it fast.
TL;DR FCC rules were struck down because they fucked up procedurally, there's nothing stopping them from [I]getting it right the second time[/I].
Can't stop the signal. Mr Universe won't have it.
Fuck, I have AT&T....
I've been planning on moving out of this fucking awful country for years and my list as to why just keeps getting longer.
Meh, go ahead. I don't need netflix or torrents or anything like that. The internet is a luxury. I'll just stop using it until they fail and come around. They will switch gears once they go bankrupt...
[QUOTE=Silence I Kill You;43766964]The internet is a luxury.[/QUOTE]
?
There's basically no infrastructure that modern society depends more on than the internet
If stuff like this actually happens, people are going to get really angry.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;43767011]?
There's basically no infrastructure that modern society depends more on than the internet[/QUOTE]
Roads? Bridges? Power? Telephone?
I know what you're saying, and to that extent, you are correct. But you are talking about another part of that infrastructure that doesn't rely on video/torrents. To us, in the private consumer market, the internet IS a luxury and it just so happens that it's also the segment who uses the most of the video/torrent aspect of the internet. So if consumers start dropping, they can't afford to keep up their practice of tacking on charges for bandwith.
[QUOTE=Zeke129;43767011]?
There's basically no infrastructure that modern society depends more on than the internet[/QUOTE]
You could probably argue electricity itself, considering that's how the internet exists. :v: But yeah, just about everything depends on the internet in order to function at its current efficiency.
[QUOTE=SenhorCreeper;43766535]ohohoho, you haven't seen BRAZIL yet.
some people ISP is like 1MB per minute, and they pay 200 a MONTH[/QUOTE]
Meanwhile in HK we get 100 MB down average.
Awwwwww yeah.
[editline]2nd February 2014[/editline]
Too bad I have AT&T in the US though
[QUOTE=SenhorCreeper;43766535]ohohoho, you haven't seen BRAZIL yet.
some people ISP is like 1MB per minute, and they pay 200 a MONTH[/QUOTE]
Weeeelll my family pays ~60$ for about 56kbs. No alternatives so monopoly ho!
In other news: All the tiny ass towns in up, up, up, up, up state NY (As in, practically Canada) are getting highspeed internet. Meanwhile I live just south of Albany with medium sized towns 5 miles out in every direction and the best I can get is 56Kbs. AKA 1997ish tech.
[QUOTE=TheMrFailz;43767356]Weeeelll my family pays ~60$ for about 56kbs. No alternatives so monopoly ho!
In other news: All the tiny ass towns in up, up, up, up, up state NY (As in, practically Canada) are getting highspeed internet. Meanwhile I live just south of Albany with medium sized towns 5 miles out in every direction and the best I can get is 56Kbs. AKA 1997ish tech.[/QUOTE]
56k?
Jesus, we get that for free in CA
I'm scared guys, AT&T is shitty enough for me, if they actually do this, i'm out of an ISP and i might actually have to move to a different place in order to get something that isn't insanely expensive and shit like satellite. There's no fucking way that this shit will slide past, people already are used to a relatively free and open internet, AT&T starts charging extra, it will really tear their profit margin a new asshole. Then again with the data limits imposed by them and how much the uproar did to revert those plans, i see AT&T not changing a fucking thing.
[QUOTE=JCDentonUNATCO;43766960]I've been planning on moving out of this fucking awful country for years and my list as to why just keeps getting longer.[/QUOTE]
But if you leave, they'll pull you back in and put you in a room for a few days questioning why you're a traitor.
Nobody would be the wiser, since you left the country
[QUOTE=erfinjerfin;43765943]And then everyone dropped AT&T and changed ISPs[/QUOTE]
Not everyone. Some people are stuck with one ISP, like me. They have monopolies everywhere, especially rural areas.
Same goes for Verizon.
I told you in one of the other threads the other day that AT&T would be the first to do it because of how big of scumbags they were
[QUOTE=Thomo_UK;43766238]Here's hoping it gives rise to an internet company that isn't full of greedy fucks and the others lose their business.[/QUOTE]
In Utah where google fiber is setting down, there's been a municipal fibre network being built for quite awhile. One of the ISPs (Who I can now say I've had the pleasure of meeting the owner) (Xmission) is probably one the best ISPs I've ever seen.
[QUOTE=elixwhitetail;43766700]Raise shit with the FCC and demand they reclassify the big monopolistic ISPs as common carriers, and then reinstate the old rules or do a better job with new ones, but fucking do it fast.
TL;DR FCC rules were struck down because they fucked up procedurally, there's nothing stopping them from [I]getting it right the second time[/I].[/QUOTE]
I'm sure they'll do everything in their power to stop or stonewall any sort of corrective action, especially since the telecoms have fought for years for the privilege of screwing consumers even more than they already.
[QUOTE=Stonecycle;43766368]Next problem is that with the presumed lack of net neutrality now, they could be pushing their services on us just as well. They've been at it before, what's going to say they're not going to do worse since they can?[/QUOTE]
Sounds like something Suddenlink would do. Hell, they're doing it now. I've already had to tell them THREE TIMES after they've called me BEGGING to buy a bundled package that I don't give 2 shits about cable TV or a landline, as I can watch anything I care to over the internet and I have a cellphone. ON TOP OF THAT, when I first signed up for their internet plan, it was 15Mbps down/2Mbps up for $50 a month. They said it would go up to $55 a month after 5 months and shouldn't go any higher, and now lo and behold, I'm now paying $63 a month for the same service. I called and asked them why that is and they said "Oh, that's just part of our annual price increase. I don't know why they would tell you it wouldn't go any higher..."
[editline]2nd February 2014[/editline]
[QUOTE=BLOODGA$M;43766537]So what happens when you encrypt your communications and they can't tell what kind of data is passing through?[/QUOTE]
They'll probably opt for the Supreme Dicklord move and just assume it's torrented data by the amount of bandwidth being used.
Think what this means for games that use torrents for downloads/upgrades.
It'd be exceptionally dumb if any other ISPs followed suite, because half the time if you're torrenting anything on a decent connection it's like "OH NO! I'VE UTILIZED MY ENTIRE BANDWIDTH CAPACITY FOR ALL OF 0.25-2 hours! I've managed to maximize my total download capabilities for 0.25-2 hours OUT OF THE WHOLE DAY. Egads, I can see the ISP's smoke cloud from here!"
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