The FCC wants you to download its Speed Test app to measure nationwide internet coverage

[Avro Arrow]

I would not count them out yet. The current commissioner is a known supporter of Net Neutrality. Even if they were to reverse Pai's crap completely, it would be taken to court and take years to resolve. IMO, The best hope for any meaningful change is through congress passing laws.

Take years? Why? It didn't take years for them to rescind it, it took only a couple of months. I mean, hell, it doesn't affect me much since all NATO nations except the USA still have it in place. This is completely altruistic for me because I don't think that ANYONE should have to deal with the crap that's going on down there. It still pisses me off that people in the USA are made to deal with this crap even if I don't live there.

 

[TheBigFatClown]

Paranoid conspiracy word salad. When no one runs the FCC speed test there won't be any new evidence to help enforce ISP clowns to increase speeds.
If people don't want faster internet, don't run the test. Years ago, the government had given telcos and cableco's 18 billion to roll out fast rural access. Telcos laughed when they were fined for not meeting benchmarks. The fines were cheaper than stringing lines, now the money is in their hands so it's probably a GREAT IDEA to let them keep it - just like before.

I guess throwing out the word 'conspiracy' in any response to a legitimate complaint automatically wins you the argument? So, good show mate. You win!

Now, snapping 'back to reality'. You make a valid point while completely contradicting your knee-jerk 'conspiracy' comment. Where money is involved somebody is always looking to screw over somebody else. It happens mostly in politics because politicians can break laws without going to prison. Joe Schmoe can't get away with breaking laws as easily.

But government asking the 'public' for help by doing a speed test is just stupid. They can figure that out themselves. They already collect from my paycheck everytime I get paid. Where did the government get 18 billion dollars to give away to telecos? Ah, from the taxpayers.

I don't live in a rural area anyway. No high-speed Internet is one reason that is so. So, if people who do live in rural areas want to do the FCCs job for them, that's perfectly fine with me.

 

[Crinkles]

I guess throwing out the word 'conspiracy' in any response to a legitimate complaint automatically wins you the argument? So, good show mate. You win!

Now, snapping 'back to reality'. You make a valid point while completely contradicting your knee-jerk 'conspiracy' comment. Where money is involved somebody is always looking to screw over somebody else. It happens mostly in politics because politicians can break laws without going to prison. Joe Schmoe can't get away with breaking laws as easily.

But government asking the 'public' for help by doing a speed test is just stupid. They can figure that out themselves. They already collect from my paycheck everytime I get paid. Where did the government get 18 billion dollars to give away to telecos? Ah, from the taxpayers.

I don't live in a rural area anyway. No high-speed Internet is one reason that is so. So, if people who do live in rural areas want to do the FCCs job for them, that's perfectly fine with me.

Yeah, well you typed the con/thing up thread. Everyone knows how taxation and government work, I just typed the obvious conclusion to the FCC testing, so if that's contradictory to you, fine.
I'm old dude I don't come here to waste time over "shcmoes", you can have whatever "WIN" you're seeking.

 

[TheBigFatClown]

Yeah, well you typed the con/thing up thread. Everyone knows how taxation and government work, I just typed the obvious conclusion to the FCC testing, so if that's contradictory to you, fine.
I'm old dude I don't come here to waste time over "shcmoes", you can have whatever "WIN" you're seeking.

Never was seeking a win. Why do you think I gave it to you? My post didn't warrant calling me a conspiracy theorist. And your "assumption" that "everybody knows how government works" is pretentious. You said it yourself, you're "old". Of course, you probably know. Your upset because I brought into question that your "belief" that the fox (government) is going to somehow protect the hen house (the poor taxpayers) because they got a "new" replacement for the last crook is what strikes me as a bit odd. Maybe, maybe not. But in the current climate the foxes seem to be winning.
Make your points please. I'm open for my discussion. But let's do it sensibly.

 

[Crinkles]

Never was seeking a win. Why do you think I gave it to you? My post didn't warrant calling me a conspiracy theorist. And your "assumption" that "everybody knows how government works" is pretentious. You said it yourself, you're "old". Of course, you probably know. Your upset because I brought into question that your "belief" that the fox (government) is going to somehow protect the hen house (the poor taxpayers) because they got a "new" replacement for the last crook is what strikes me as a bit odd. Maybe, maybe not. But in the current climate the foxes seem to be winning.
Make your points please. I'm open for my discussion. But let's do it sensibly.

Lets look at these few historical points on the USF and how well it hasn't worked. I'll break out gifted amounts.

In 2012, during "Phase I" of the Connect America Fund,
>$115 million in subsidies were given out to build out broadband in 37 states, with
$71.9 million going to Frontier Communications
$35 million to Century Link
>AT&T and Verizon declined to participate.

In 2013, also during "Phase I",
CenturyLink accepted another $54 million
>AT&T accepted $100 million.

In March 2014, the FCC approved "Phase II" of the transition to the Connect America Fund,
>adding $1.8 billion a year in funding
and clarifying the specifics of the funding process. Under the framework the FCC approved, incumbent carriers have priority access to subsidies, but if the funds are declined, the funds are allocated by a competitive bidding process.

The FCC also proposed upping the minimum speed requirement from 4Mbit/s to 10Mbit/s.

>In May 2014, the 10th circuit court of appeals upheld the shift in funds in the face of a legal challenge by telephone companies.

The Connect America Fund also includes the Mobility Fund, which is given to wireless carriers who expand service to underserved areas.
"Phase I" of the Mobility Fund offered
>$300 million for a September 2012 round of auctions, and
"Phase II" of the Mobility Fund plans to give out
>$500 million in annual support.

I swear Americans should be embarrassed to do business with companies that can, by sheer force of THREAT to sue the US government or it's agencies, get their way on a transfer of money scheme -> WHERE THE SCHEME IS GIVING THEM THE MONEY THEY'RE SUING OVER.

Wut? (insert 1000's of pages of legal gobeldy-wobbely)

That's what the 10th's decision did. A US Court, upheld the amounts and methods the money pie was being cut and passed out under. Because they were threatening to sue the government. If anyone's wondered where the idiocracy is hiding check the offices of the FCC.

This s*itstorm started in 1913 and we citizens get to live with it. If I gave an impression by condoning the speedtest it's because I know actionable data will be generated from it. There's no promise that action will benefit anyone outside the FCC's friendship circles. And...Ajit Pia is a political shill.
BTW, Obama appointed sister Pia, Trump re-upped him and re-upped him again for his last (incomplete) 5 year term.

"Connect America Fund" is the largest and most complex of four programs, this high cost program subsidizes telecommunications services in rural and remote areas. The program paid out $4.2 billion in subsidies to telecommunications companies in 2013, with a goal of making telecommunications affordable to rural and remote areas.
The program has been criticized as wasteful, granting large sums of money to telecommunications companies while having little effect on access.

So that's quick-peek at one aspect of the clownshow we call "our government".

 

[captaincranky]

I honestly don't think broadband speed is the major problem
government has to deal with ATM..!

Biden needs to get rid of this a**hole Trump put in charge of the post office, ASAP.

What was supposedly "2 Day Priority Mail", took 10 days from California to Philadelphia, (2 different times), when it used to come in the actual 2 day window.

 

[Freddie159]

Why doesn't the FCC just contact the Boinc Project Ithena and ask them, that's exactly what they are doing except WorldWide

 

[Avro Arrow]

Yeah, I remember that article about the guy in HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA (of all places) who had to pay tens of thousands of dollars so that his ISP would install the necessary hardware for his area to have a fast internet connection.

This is where more government regulation would be a GOOD thing. It's not like these ISPs aren't already making money hand-over-fist. They're not going to hurt because of a regulation that says that their rural customers must be provided with a high speed connection as well.

As for downloading a speed test program, I wouldn't trust the FCC any further than I could throw them, especially after they removed net neutrality.