From Harold Feld -- lots of amazingly useful info on the pending 700MHz fiasco/proceedings:

Ya know, I had real hopes that, barring a Petition for Reconsideration or two, I was pretty much done with the 700 MHz auction. Sure, Verizon filed a lawsuit with the DC Circuit, but at least we could sit back and stop worrying about the FCC stuff. And besides, the lawsuit didn't really have much of a chance anyway. So, after a grueling 6 months or so, I thought I could finally relax and turn to something new, like kicking the bejeezus out of the cable monopoly.

Hah.

As recent reports indicate, Verizon has apparently pressed the FCC to “clarify” the C Block conditions. I say “apparently” because Verizon has not actually filed a request for any sort of clarification, reconsideration, or declaratory ruling. Indeed, to my considerable annoyance, it took a modest reprimand from the Wireless Bureau and Martin's staff for Verizon to actually put something in the record vaguely resembling a description of what Verizon's most senior lobbyists actually discussed with the Chairman and his staff. Verizon, meanwhile, vigorously denies they ever asked for reconsideration (and, separately, that it finds the accusation that it violated the ex parte shocking and deeply offensive).

Hello World, I'm Josh King, Network Engineer at Acorn Active Media Foundation (http://www.acornactivemedia.com) and the Champaign-Urbana Wireless Internet Foundation (http://www.cuwin.net). Sascha asked me to contribute to this blog, so here goes with my first post.

I doubt it will be surprising to anyone used to dealing with big telecom companies, but Verizon is doing its level best to screw consumers when it comes to the 700 MHz spectrum auction. If you're following the auction, then you probably know that the process of deciding what to do with this precious section of radio spectrum is very contentious. Google, that organization I always hold a cautious liking for, has successfully introduced what they term an "open network" requirement into the terms of the auction. As Sascha detailed in an earlier post, this introduces an obligation to make sure that any devices utilizing this spectrum will be able to roam freely across networks without vendor lock-in. Of course Verizon can't be having with that, so on September 10th they filed suit against the FCC. From the request for judicial review:

"Verizon Wireless seeks judicial review on the grounds that the [700 MHz spectrum auction requirements] exceeds the Commission's authority under the Communications Act of 1934 [...] violates the United States Constitution, violates the Administrative Procedure Act [...] and is arbitrary, capricious, unsupported by substantial evidence and otherwise contrary to law."

I am not a telecommunications lawyer, so I couldn't speak to whether the FCC's actions could be construed as a violation of the Communications Act of 1934. Legal basis or no, I think we can obviously see where Verizon's interests lie vis-a-vis the consumers (i.e. bilking them). I know I would better respect a company or individual doing something procedurally incorrect for morally right reasons than doing something legally justifiable for motivations of greed.

Verizon announced this month that, "Verizon Expands High-Speed Internet Access in Illinois: Company Upgrades Network to Make Super-Fast DSL Service More Available." I kid you not -- "super-fast."

I read the press release excitedly -- certainly this is very good news for the rural communities that have been systematically discriminated against in terms of broadband services. Then I read the rest of the press release -- not to sound too harsh, but what Verizon is offering is unbelievably slow and outdated service, it's crap:

Verizon will offer two high-speed DSL Internet service plans to qualifying consumers, one with maximum connection speeds of up to 768 Kbps (kilobits per second) downstream and 128 Kbps upstream and another with maximum connection speeds of up to 3.0 Mbps (megabits per second) downstream and 768 kbps upstream... NOTE: Actual (throughput) speeds will vary.

128Kbps upstream speed is their standard package, with premium service at just half-a-meg (768Kbps) upload speed. And that's the maximum speed, which means that actual rates may be substantially less. What Verizon is doing is offering just about the most limited service possible that would still be considered "broadband" by the inane definition utilized by the FCC -- which would, in essence obfuscate the fact that most of rural Illinois is actually receiving extremely bad broadband connectivity or none at all.

Long-term, this will lead to the continuing digital divide and undermine efforts to eliminate the substantial discrimination faced by rural populations across the United States. I see Verizon's initiative as the crumbs thrown to hush an increasingly displeased public.

What is perhaps the most dispicable part of the press release is the actual headline and the fact that the actual service speeds are in the second-to-last paragraph of the 3-page press release (the version I received). As all reporters know, you lead with information that informs the headline -- this press release was purposefully constructed to place connectivity speed as far away from their claim of "super-fast DSL service" as possible.

Read the full press release here.

That's right, you read the title correctly, an internal Verizon content-guideline document was leaked to the Wall Street Journal, who reports, "A Verizon Wireless content-guideline document, reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, shows that the company has developed a long list of restrictions, including off-limits expletives and curse words, highly specific rules for how much bare skin models can show, and a ban on any derogatory references to Verizon Wireless itself."

According to the WSJ, "the Verizon Wireless rules cover all content -- text, music, pictures, video, audio, games -- even the names of the digital content files people download." Cingular and Sprint Nextel have similar documents already. I can see it now, Beastie Boys' "Get it Together" (from their excellent Ill Communication album) removed from cellular play lists because of their "I'm Like Ma Bell, I Got The Ill Communication" lyric. Because, yes, that's what this Verizon document does -- got a lyric that busts on the company, they will ban it from their network. These aren't "decency" standards, they're straight up censorship.

Educate yourself -- here's more from the Wall Street Journal:

Read more...

I recently came across an e-mail sent to one of the lists I'm on with information on Japanese VDSL services. It provides a sobering reminder of just how unbelievably slow (and, at the same time, expensive) broadband services are in the US and many other countries. Here's a brief list:

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In the last couple days, Verizon's been getting a lot of press for offering supposed low-cost broadband. But further investigation of this "deal" shows it to be little more than a bait & switch tactic to suck people into a higher cost broadband contract. Here's how it works & compares with other broadband service offers:

Verizon offers you a $14.95/month contract for one year. Now, this is a good offer by comparison with SBC (whose service runs closer to $40/month). However, if after one year, you don't lock in another 1-yr contract (or if that second year rate turns out to be not as low), the rate is $37.95 per month (folks had to call to find this out, it's not mentioned anywhere on Verizon's website). Amortized over 2 years, the cost of Verizon's "deal" averages out to be $31.28 a month plus the cost of phone service. After 3 years, the cost averages out to be $34.84 plus the cost of phone service.

Facts about Verizon's offer:

• Offer available to new Verizon DSL customers only.
• 768kbps/128kbps service (slow, and half the normal DSL speed, 25% the normal cable speed)
• 1-yr commitment required, with an early termination fee of $79.
• Other taxes USF fees are about $4.00 per month.
• $19.95 shipping/activation charge.
• Verizon local residential phone service required.
• The $14.95 offer expires on September 17th 2005.

Still think it's a good offer???

On a per mega bit basis, the Verizon offer alone is $19.47/Mbps. The SBC offer is $38.49/Mbps. Right now Japan telecom's DSL service is a 40Mbps connection for $29. That's $0.73/Mbps.

Are we supposed to be happy about paying far more for worse service?

Read more...