Keeping politicians' hands off the Net & everything else related to technology
In previous posts, I’ve criticized the Federal Communications Commission for arbitrarily jacking up the speed in its definition of broadband (to 4 mbps download/1mbps upload) so that third generation wireless does not count as broadband. This makes broadband markets appear less competitive. It also expands the “need” for universal service subsidies for broadband, since places that [...]
I’m going to close out my series of essays about Tim Wu’s new book, The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires, by discussing his proposed solutions. In the first five essays in the series, [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] I’ve critiqued Wu’s look at information history as well as his use of [...]
The Federal Communications Commission has established a new advisory group called the “Technological Advisory Council.” Among other things it will advise the agency on “how broadband communications can be part of the solution for the delivery and cost containment of health care, for energy and environmental conservation, for education innovation and in the creation of [...]
Stung by criticism of its site as the “worst in government”—that mighta been Jerry Brito talking—the FCC has rolled out a new set of sites under a “Reboot” brand. When I first saw the presentation on it at today’s Gov 2.0 Summit, I thought that the FCC has merely redone its web site, but it [...]
The majority on the FCC seems hell-bent on establishing rural broadband subsidies as a perpetual entitlement program that will never “solve” the rural availability problem because the goalposts will keep moving.
It’s far from obvious how the FCC could legally subsidize broadband with a download speed of 4 mbps.
The administration announced its plan to find 500 megaherz of spectrum for mobile broadband service by the end of the decade.
The 80 percent of Americans who do not know their home broadband speeds may be “rationally ignorant.”
There’s no sense in funding broadband subsidies with a mechanism that discourages people from subscribing to broadband.
A more detailed look at the technical analysis underlying the FCC’s broadband goal and the minimal roles afforded to 3G wireless and satellite.
May 23, 2012
The Technology Liberation Front is the tech policy blog dedicated to keeping politicians' hands off the 'net and everything else related to technology.
