Re: Policy News

["Justin M. Streiner" <streiner () cluebyfour org>]

On Wed, 18 Nov 2009, Jerry Dixon wrote:

> The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday will lay out the case for
> expanding broadband Internet service, outlining current obstacles to making
> it widely available. The agency is considering whether to force Internet
> providers to share their networks with rivals and raise fees charged on
> consumer phone bills to pay for the broader access."

The telcos are asking for more taxpayer-funded goodie--er... incentives 
to expand broadband coverage.  Given that the incentives (entry into 
additional markets, additional fees tacked onto customer bills, 
reduction/elimination of various other regulatory hurdles, etc) that have 
been handed to them over the past 10+ years have largely failed to 
produce that expanded coverage and improved service, doing more of the 
same is pretty much throwing good money after bad.

jms