more on Strung Up With Cable TV

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jordan Pollack <pollack () cs brandeis edu>
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2004 09:38:08 
To:dave () farber net
Subject: IP: Re: Strung Up With Cable TV

> treat the cable as a common carrier and allow different
> companies to deliver services

This reminds me that BrandX internet won a decision in the fall:  
http://isp-planet.com/politics/2003/cable_ruling.html

A hundred years ago, we had this problem with the telegraph and 
telephone natural monopolies, and ended up with a regulated national 
monopoly called Ma Bell.  People are thinking of broadcast vs pay TV, 
but we are in the age of the cable "TriplePlay" - TV/Internet/VOIP  
which will kill 3 other industries:
TV is dead, because it cant charge subscriptoins or show Breasts;
Local ISP's are dead, because everyone is forced to change to an 
@comcast.net address; and
Telephony is walking dead because even with DSL, you can't get TV. Even 
the wireless carriers may be attacked in a decade by roaming WIFI phones.

Today the unregulated  "natural monopoly" of the data utility, and the 
convergence with media interests is the most critical issue of our day, 
because it affects our choice of information, privacy in what we read 
and watch, how we brand our own communications. Monopolization collapses 
a diverse ecology of local businesses. If Comcast Buys Disney, we will 
all be User () mickeymouse net watching  movies outsourced to Bollywood.

It seems important that the national data utility not be involved in 
content production,  media selection, or personal branding.

While it is hard for the FCC Chief to take on an interest tied to news 
media affecting the re-election of his father's administration, one 
simple thing might be to unbundle the email address from the data 
utility. e.g. I'd pay $45 for internet access and $5 for my comcast 
email addresses. Then I can choose to not be part of the comcast 
namespace, and keep my AOL/ATT/LOCAL ISP email for $5/month. Maybe the 
Brandx case can be used to trigger this small change?

Jordan

-- 
Professor Jordan B. Pollack   Dynamic & Evolution Machine Org
Computer Science Department   FaxPhone/Lab: 781-736-2713/3366
MS018,  Brandeis University   http://www.demo.cs.brandeis.edu
Waltham Massachusetts 02454   e-mail: pollack () cs brandeis edu

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