Comments on: Sen. Kerry: Not Pulling Punches on Airwaves Auction http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/ Tracking the battle over Network Neutrality Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:26:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: valles http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-61126 valles Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:42:44 +0000 http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-61126 I'd like to see some battle plans for this next challenge. I don't want another FCC protecting my freedom of speech, I'd like the space to be rented rather than sold, so the people can demand time for presidential debates. I don't want advertising or news propaganda spewing into my education or entertainment, we don't need a Fox, NBC or CBS. I don't think we need national entertainment services. The space should be reserved for high range wireless internet service and should be serviced by whomever of the community decides. I’d like to see some battle plans for this next challenge. I don’t want another FCC protecting my freedom of speech, I’d like the space to be rented rather than sold, so the people can demand time for presidential debates. I don’t want advertising or news propaganda spewing into my education or entertainment, we don’t need a Fox, NBC or CBS. I don’t think we need national entertainment services. The space should be reserved for high range wireless internet service and should be serviced by whomever of the community decides.

]]> By: ajwood http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60779 ajwood Sun, 17 Jun 2007 02:27:03 +0000 http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60779 If Senator Kerry's suggesting that this auction be used to stimulate new entrant rules, now would be a good time to be specific about the size, color and business interests that entrants should have. Today's FCC is lost when it comes to establishing these specifics for us but they can be useful in 'guidance mode' participation if a group proposes specifics for them first. Citing past inequities concerning minority owned outlets albeit constructively, a case for shaping a new rule can take place easier. It's exciting to see regular folks here gaining on the process of rubber stamp auction 'sales' however changes in FCC rules take place in their own time frame and priority. Don't kid yourselves, initiative prioritization *is* political and a new White House can scuttle well intended initiatives too. That's why it's so important to specify to the Commission what exactly a New Entrant would be. I can think of a few examples but to change the rule and only walk away with expense driven tokenism that drive New Entrants away won’t make us happy. The priority of spectrum auctions is to make as much money as possible while doing the least amount of work selling something that costs nothing and the FCC is just the right candidate for such a job. To steer the Commission away from spreadsheet justification to continue with the same-old corporate auctions I suggest we instill in them a sense that "we are watching and we are not going away". Because when it comes to money, the priority is already established. If Senator Kerry’s suggesting that this auction be used to stimulate new entrant rules, now would be a good time to be specific about the size, color and business interests that entrants should have.
Today’s FCC is lost when it comes to establishing these specifics for us but they can be useful in ‘guidance mode’ participation if a group proposes specifics for them first. Citing past inequities concerning minority owned outlets albeit constructively, a case for shaping a new rule can take place easier.

It’s exciting to see regular folks here gaining on the process of rubber stamp auction ’sales’ however changes in FCC rules take place in their own time frame and priority. Don’t kid yourselves, initiative prioritization *is* political and a new White House can scuttle well intended initiatives too. That’s why it’s so important to specify to the Commission what exactly a New Entrant would be.
I can think of a few examples but to change the rule and only walk away with expense driven tokenism that drive New Entrants away won’t make us happy.
The priority of spectrum auctions is to make as much money as possible while doing the least amount of work selling something that costs nothing and the FCC is just the right candidate for such a job.
To steer the Commission away from spreadsheet justification to continue with the same-old corporate auctions I suggest we instill in them a sense that “we are watching and we are not going away”.
Because when it comes to money, the priority is already established.

]]> By: citizenblog http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60662 citizenblog Sat, 16 Jun 2007 18:06:44 +0000 http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60662 I assume you are not a sockpuppet webn8. Comcast, Verizon and AT& T might not be the only ISP's but they can and do use their monopoly position in telecommunications to stifle innovation..rake huge abnormal profits as well as lobby and pay huge amounts of money to keep it like that. There are no guarantees what they will do if they are given more spectrum and rights to own the "public" airwaves. Huge areas of rural America don't have competitive broadband service because the phone companies do not see enough profits in this provison. When there are no laws governing this discrimination private companies do as they wish to the detriment of the public interest. In reality there is little choice available to most citizens hence only 40% of Americans have broadband access. Hampden Mitchell I assume you are not a sockpuppet webn8. Comcast, Verizon and AT& T might not be the only ISP’s but they can and do use their monopoly position in telecommunications to stifle innovation..rake huge abnormal profits as well as lobby and pay huge amounts of money to keep it like that. There are no guarantees what they will do if they are given more spectrum and rights to own the “public” airwaves. Huge areas of rural America don’t have competitive broadband service because the phone companies do not see enough profits in this provison. When there are no laws governing this discrimination private companies do as they wish to the detriment of the public interest. In reality there is little choice available to most citizens hence only 40% of Americans have broadband access.

Hampden Mitchell

]]> By: webn8 http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60330 webn8 Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:52:33 +0000 http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60330 I've been thinking lately... How exactly do these companys plan to control every single server on the internet? Is it really plausable for them to control the internet including giants like Google and Yahoo? I have a feeling you're going to say that they will control it because people get internet access from them, but consider this, are Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T the only ISP's? What about all the other ISP's out there such as Netzero, Lifeline, Quest, Sprint, MSN, Earthlink, Cox, etc etc etc? If Comcast etc sets up this exclusive internet service, don't you think that all their customers just might switch providers? I’ve been thinking lately… How exactly do these companys plan to control every single server on the internet? Is it really plausable for them to control the internet including giants like Google and Yahoo? I have a feeling you’re going to say that they will control it because people get internet access from them, but consider this, are Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T the only ISP’s? What about all the other ISP’s out there such as Netzero, Lifeline, Quest, Sprint, MSN, Earthlink, Cox, etc etc etc? If Comcast etc sets up this exclusive internet service, don’t you think that all their customers just might switch providers?

]]> By: Community Media: Selected Clippings - 06/14/07 (700 MHz) « Clippings for PEG Access Television http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60112 Community Media: Selected Clippings - 06/14/07 (700 MHz) « Clippings for PEG Access Television Fri, 15 Jun 2007 03:26:53 +0000 http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60112 [...] I’ve already gotten a letter from an industry group challenging my stance.   —> http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/ [...] […] I’ve already gotten a letter from an industry group challenging my stance.   —> http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/ […]

]]> By: citizenblog http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60100 citizenblog Fri, 15 Jun 2007 02:26:31 +0000 http://www.savetheinternet.com/blog/2007/06/14/sen-kerry-not-pulling-punches-on-airwaves-auction/#comment-60100 Way to Go Kerry!! I rarely listen to a politician that doesn't come out with a bunch of diatribe but managed to watch the live proceedings in the senate on the internet today and was cheering as Kerry spoke the above words. Why auction the spectrum off? Why not have citizen's vote for who should receive licences? After all the Government is "We the People" isn't it? Are we going to have a say in how the revenues generated are spent if we don't have a say in who gets the available spectrum? Hampden Mitchell Way to Go Kerry!! I rarely listen to a politician that doesn’t come out with a bunch of diatribe but managed to watch the live proceedings in the senate on the internet today and was cheering as Kerry spoke the above words. Why auction the spectrum off? Why not have citizen’s vote for who should receive licences? After all the Government is “We the People” isn’t it? Are we going to have a say in how the revenues generated are spent if we don’t have a say in who gets the available spectrum?

Hampden Mitchell

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