Ajit Pai and the FCC Want It to Be Legal for Comcast to Block BitTorrent

[Master_shake_]

this whole thing is more insidious than even i thought.

The planned action represents a major victory for internet service providers, including Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon. According to Reuters and Automotive News, General Motors is also a proponent of the neutrality ban. The reasoning? “From our point of view,” GM said in a letter to the FCC, “mobile broadband being delivered to a car moving at 75 mph down a highway — or for that matter, stuck in a massive spontaneous traffic jam — is a fundamentally different phenomenon from a wired broadband connection to a consumer’s home, and merits continued consideration under distinct rules that take this into account.” To translate, GM wants ISPs to prioritize flow to autonomous cars that may need internet access at a higher rate of speed and at a greater density. That’s a legitimate concern. As anyone who has been to a concert can attest, wireless service can slow to a crawl when everyone starts uploading videos to their phones in a small area and the possible ramifications of a connected car losing service are immense. However, General Motors is also looking to get into the data business. And with so much money on the table, it might be handy for the company to spend more to have ISPs prioritize its content over that of its competitors. And that’s one thing that has advocates of net neutrality and a handful of companies very concerned. In July, a group representing technology firms, including Google-parent Alphabet (which includes Waymo) and Facebook Inc., urged Pai to drop his plans to rescind the rules.

disgusting.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/20...-rules-autonomous-victory-practical-disaster/

 

[Morphy]

this whole thing is more insidious than even i thought.

The planned action represents a major victory for internet service providers, including Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon. According to Reuters and Automotive News, General Motors is also a proponent of the neutrality ban. The reasoning? “From our point of view,” GM said in a letter to the FCC, “mobile broadband being delivered to a car moving at 75 mph down a highway — or for that matter, stuck in a massive spontaneous traffic jam — is a fundamentally different phenomenon from a wired broadband connection to a consumer’s home, and merits continued consideration under distinct rules that take this into account.” To translate, GM wants ISPs to prioritize flow to autonomous cars that may need internet access at a higher rate of speed and at a greater density. That’s a legitimate concern. As anyone who has been to a concert can attest, wireless service can slow to a crawl when everyone starts uploading videos to their phones in a small area and the possible ramifications of a connected car losing service are immense. However, General Motors is also looking to get into the data business. And with so much money on the table, it might be handy for the company to spend more to have ISPs prioritize its content over that of its competitors. And that’s one thing that has advocates of net neutrality and a handful of companies very concerned. In July, a group representing technology firms, including Google-parent Alphabet (which includes Waymo) and Facebook Inc., urged Pai to drop his plans to rescind the rules.

disgusting.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/20...-rules-autonomous-victory-practical-disaster/

Disgusting is right. Just another way big corporations control supply . They know demand will only rise but instead of upgrading and investing in infrastructure they rather inhibit supply to increase profits. They can do that when there's no real competition. NN is a stumbling block they want knocked down. We're going to have OPEC style ISP conglomerates where they dictate how much they supply and what they can charge and there's nothing anyone can do about it because the politicians are all bought. At least with OPEC we're dealing with a finite commodity.

I'm glad I'm old enough to live through the golden age of the internet as that's all going to be a distant memory soon.

 

[Lunas]

Is there a petition to have Ajit Pai fired or removed from the fcc?

 

[Gavv]

We do have a choice if ISP’s decide to play stupid games....

The sad thing is most of us are addicted to having the internet like a meth addict...

Many of us have cut the cable cord... do we have the resolve to do the same if the ISP’s decide to bend us over further?

 

[Derangel]

We do have a choice if ISP’s decide to play stupid games....

The sad thing is most of us are addicted to having the internet like a meth addict...

Many of us have cut the cable cord... do we have the resolve to do the same if the ISP’s decide to bend us over further?

It's not about being addicted to the internet. The internet is an essential part of millions of people's lives these days. The internet has become something that everyone needs access to. The internet needs to stay a Title II utility because of how much of an everyday requirement is has become and its only becoming more and more required. This is even more true for kids in school.

 

[Gavv]

It's not about being addicted to the internet. The internet is an essential part of millions of people's lives these days. The internet has become something that everyone needs access to. The internet needs to stay a Title II utility because of how much of an everyday requirement is has become and its only becoming more and more required. This is even more true for kids in school.

Not worried about kids in school . They will have what they need.

You only believe it’s essential.

Some of us remember how to function without it because we grew up not having it.

 

[Derangel]

Not worried about kids in school . They will have what they need.

You only believe it’s essential.

Some of us remember how to function without it because we grew up not having it.

No, I KNOW it is essential. Its not the 90s or early 2000s anymore. The internet is an essential form of communication and accessing information. I'd argue it's almost more essential now days then a phone. Being adapt at using the internet is only going to become more and more required as time goes on. Its already to the point where not having basic computer use knowledge is a massive disadvantage in the work-force. That is where we're heading with the internet. You can choose to be willfully blind to the changes happening in the world, but I refuse to be. Not having access to the internet IS a disadvantage.

 

[Gavv]

No, I KNOW it is essential. Its not the 90s or early 2000s anymore. The internet is an essential form of communication and accessing information. I'd argue it's almost more essential now days then a phone. Being adapt at using the internet is only going to become more and more required as time goes on. Its already to the point where not having basic computer use knowledge is a massive disadvantage in the work-force. That is where we're heading with the internet. You can choose to be willfully blind to the changes happening in the world, but I refuse to be. Not having access to the internet IS a disadvantage.

I don’t disagree that it is a disadvantage.

Our schools won’t be affected by this in the least.

As a consumer though.... not a requirement. Some things may require online access. You can get those st a local library.

Not ideal but it’s not a essential requirement to be able to stream Netflix either. Or shop Amazon.

 

[Derangel]

I don’t disagree that it is a disadvantage.

Our schools won’t be affected by this in the least.

As a consumer though.... not a requirement. Some things may require online access. You can get those st a local library.

Not ideal but it’s not a essential requirement to be able to stream Netflix either. Or shop Amazon.

No, you don't need things like Netflix or Amazon (though I'd argue Amazon is the best option for people with physical disabilities that make retail shopping hard, but that a different discussion), but the internet is at a point where I'd call the ability to access it essential, meaning it should be a Title II utility. Even if you don't think its at that point right at this moment, it is still better to get it now and have things outlined before it's too late. The "too late" point will come very fast, especially if ISPs actually do act on tier pricing crap that people fear.

 

[Deleted member 222586]

Sorry if I sound like a broken record (hey, you asked), this is "regulatory capture." It means that just because the laws exist to break up anti-competitive businesses, if those businesses are donating heavily to campaigns, then its in the politicians best interest to do thing in their favor. We have MASSIVE corruption in our government, in both our political parties. While Democrats and Republicans will still diverge on a few issues (like net neutrality), by and large they agree on more than they disagree on. Busting up monopolies / oligopolies hits too close to home for their donors interest, so that's largely off the table for both parties nowadays.

I thought anti-trust was in the hands of the judicial systems? IE judges and not politicians?

Be real, this is America we’re talking about. That’ll NEVER happen. Whatever company is there will just continue to buy our whatever political person they need to buyout to avoid compition.

THATS the American way.

Corruption seems to rampant this days. Don't make me start about our own :/

I used to think along similar lines. Its a bit more complicated with data. Let me explain. With power, you pay two charges. One to maintain delivery (power lines) and one for the actual power (which can come from any supplier) A Power company can be metered to make sure they are contributing their proper amount to the grid. With a phone company, you have a dedicated line to your house. But like power you get two charges. One for line maintenance, and one for the phone company to route your call.

With Cable companies (that vast majority of broad band) you don't have a dedicated line to your house. You have a shared line. That shared line has limited bandwidth, and that data comes from a distribution point. That distribution point typically is attached to fiber now. You could have a company run in their own fiber to the hub, or rent out that fiber. The later would have a pricing structure established by a three letter committee. (As it was for telephone and power)

Any way to your point, the ISPs have said they need government funding to lay infrastructure. Yet it's been proven over and over that ISP's have more than recovered their cost on infrastructure and most of it is obscenely profitable if you break down the numbers (compared to other industries)

https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/CMCSA/financials

Its about $9 billion net on $80 Billion in sales. This is after they pay for all their taxes and expenses. This is a darn profitable industry. They also never take a net loss because they are a monopoly. Even during recession they are profitable.

With power... our system is even funnier xD Firtst of all, we pay for the poles, sub-stations and other shit, as you do. Secondly, we pay for the kwh of what we use: the government determines the actual price of the kwh, based on the marginal cost of the electricity, which they estimate (and they estimate in favour of the suppliers, of course). OK, but there is an extra. So, this industry must follow gvt's commands. Green energy, nuclear... whatever they ask, the industry have to build. BUT, the industry have profits guaranted. The system is so bad that as people fear nuclear power they want to close certain power plants. And this not only makes the kwh more expensive (as nuclear is the cheapest energy once the plant is there producing) BUT we have to pay for the losses the company will incur when they close the plant.

It is a full-on retarded system. For retardeds, by retardeds.

The thing is, the problem the USA has is simply lack of competition. As people can't choose among ISP they have no need to out-price themselves and simply sit their asses on their ageing structures. Heck, our companies have profits and keep improving the structures and as I said, I live in a 100k inhabitants island, with a size of 500km^2 (around 180 sqm if my math isn't too screwed up) and not only I have fiber here (living in a neighbourhood with houses, not condos) but my father that lives in the town (10k inhabitants) can choose fiber from two providers which have independent structures in place.

 

[CaffeineMan]

How long until you fire up your PC you need to watch a 30 second commercial? Or the ISPs interject advertisements into web pages?
Lets not forget, Youtube used to be commercial free. Then we had small ads then short skipable commercials. Now I have read reports of unskipable 30 MINUTE commercials (unconfirmed but from a reliable source).

 

[tetris42]

I thought anti-trust was in the hands of the judicial systems? IE judges and not politicians?

It's also handled by the FTC, the head of which gets appointed by the president. If the president wants to clamp down on monopoly power, he can nominate someone with a real attack dog reputation to enforce the law, or, in our current case, get an antitrust defense attorney, whose entire career is protecting the very people the FTC is supposed to clamp down on.

 

[CaffeineMan]

Not worried about kids in school . They will have what they need.

You only believe it’s essential.

Some of us remember how to function without it because we grew up not having it.

I disagree, if I could agree with you, I would also say we don't NEED cellphones and we don't need cars either we have horses.
Today is different from the 90s. Sprint quit landlines https://www.sprint.com/en/support/s...-about-business-landline-decommissioning.html

My health insurance requires I go online to sign up every year. (not to mention the survey for a discount)
My kids are required to do homework online. Hell their Chromebooks are worthless without internet. They don't have books.
My home phone is over the internet.
My job requires I have internet.
My TV is from the internet.
My Gaming is online. I paid for online content.
My purchased music, and books are on the internet.
My Credit Card is paid online.
My Christmas shopping was done online.
My thermostat is on the internet.
My W2s are on the internet.
My taxes are online.
My cellphone requires I have internet at home (else I would max out my data in a few days).

 

[Gavv]

I disagree, if I could agree with you, I would also say we don't NEED cellphones and we don't need cars either we have horses.
Today is different from the 90s. Sprint quit landlines https://www.sprint.com/en/support/s...-about-business-landline-decommissioning.html

My health insurance requires I go online to sign up every year. (not to mention the survey for a discount)
My kids are required to do homework online. Hell their Chromebooks are worthless without internet. They don't have books.
My home phone is over the internet.
My job requires I have internet.
My TV is from the internet.
My Gaming is online. I paid for online content.
My purchased music, and books are on the internet.
My Credit Card is paid online.
My Christmas shopping was done online.
My thermostat is on the internet.
My W2s are on the internet.
My taxes are online.
My cellphone requires I have internet at home (else I would max out my data in a few days).

Lot of convenience

My health insurance requires the same... funny though work provides the time and a kiosk to sign up. More in a few lines

I’m sure your kids will manage.

Your home phone being on the internet can have other options. Convenience

Ok... the more part. Your job requires you have internet. Either they are compensating you for it through pay or providing a subsidy.

Everything down to w2’s are convenience.

W2’s are funny because while I too get mine online there’s an option to have them mailed. Convenience.

Taxes are convenience as well.

The cellphone thing is a joke. Convenience.

My work requires I have a cellphone. They provide the cellphone and internet he service. So either you’re compensated to supply the internet or you get a subsidy for it. Never worked for a place that didn’t provide in one of those two fashions. Most your list is convenience not essential.

Sorry that’s how I see it. In my mind nothing you listed is essential (except maybe the kids homework).

 

[schoolslave]

Gavv please go live in a cave and forget how to communicate since everything is just a "convenience".

EDIT: Sorry, is the cave too convenient for you as well?

 

[Gavv]

Gavv please go live in a cave and forget how to communicate since everything is just a "convenience".

EDIT: Sorry, is the cave too convenient for you as well?

Afraid of differing views and opinions?

 

[schoolslave]

Afraid of differing views and opinions?

Nope, are you just inherently a moron?
Calling the internet a "convenience" in the 21st century is either just blatant trolling or complete ignorance.

 

[Gavv]

Nope, are you just inherently a moron?
Calling the internet a "convenience" in the 21st century is either just blatant trolling or complete ignorance.

Then show where all of those are “essential” as the claim was.

There’s a difference between essential and convenience. Heat is essential. Water is essential. Internet so you can shop Amazon or watch Hulu is convenience.

Unless you can show otherwise?

 

[tetris42]

Not worried about kids in school . They will have what they need.

You only believe it’s essential.

Some of us remember how to function without it because we grew up not having it.

When's the last time you had to look for a job?

This is easy. You need food to survive. In modern society, you need to pay for that food, there's not enough land / resources for everyone to hunt and farm for it. In order to pay for that food you need a job. On average, you can't get a job now without internet. Think of it like a phone in the latter half of the 20th century. How many jobs can you get without having a phone number? Sure, some, most, no.

That basic enough for you? This stuff is all a "convenience" until you don't have money to eat, a situation I'm guessing you haven't had to face.

 

[CaffeineMan]

Lot of convenience

My health insurance requires the same... funny though work provides the time and a kiosk to sign up. More in a few lines

I’m sure your kids will manage.

Your home phone being on the internet can have other options. Convenience

Ok... the more part. Your job requires you have internet. Either they are compensating you for it through pay or providing a subsidy.

Everything down to w2’s are convenience.

W2’s are funny because while I too get mine online there’s an option to have them mailed. Convenience.

Taxes are convenience as well.

The cellphone thing is a joke. Convenience.

My work requires I have a cellphone. They provide the cellphone and internet he service. So either you’re compensated to supply the internet or you get a subsidy for it. Never worked for a place that didn’t provide in one of those two fashions. Most your list is convenience not essential.

Sorry that’s how I see it. In my mind nothing you listed is essential (except maybe the kids homework).

What about the books, games, movies, TV shows I paid for? Who will and or how will they be delivered if I do not have internet. I bought the things I mentioned knowing the internet would be affordable. My kids do not have books for most of their classes. I am not sure how the school or the kids will manage. When even the phone companies are giving up land lines I am not sure how going without VOIP is going to be possible, or affordable with limited choices.

Plus people like you are taking advantage of people like me: Take away the cord cutters and do you think we would see the dramatic drop in prices from dish, DirectTV and cable? I can sign up for my old package at over half off what I was paying when I quit DirecTV 3 years ago. Hell DirectTV needs internet to work properly.

(I get it having any telephone and email is a convenience, because we have the US Mail service)
Should I give up my car and buy a horse? Convenient you forgot to mention this. While technically true, it is almost as ridiculous as you claim.

Lets face it the Amish prove it is all a convenience.

 

[Gavv]

When's the last time you had to look for a job?

This is easy. You need food to survive. In modern society, you need to pay for that food, there's not enough land / resources for everyone to hunt and farm for it. In order to pay for that food you need a job. On average, you can't get a job now without internet. Think of it like a phone in the latter half of the 20th century. How many jobs can you get without having a phone number? Sure, some, most, no.

That basic enough for you? This stuff is all a "convenience" until you don't have money to eat, a situation I'm guessing you haven't had to face.

And you still have a phone? Last I looked phone doesn't equal the internet. If you had to choose which would you take. Smart money says the phone.

What about the books, games, movies, TV shows I paid for? Who will and or how will they be delivered if I do not have internet. I bought the things I mentioned knowing the internet would be affordable. My kids do not have books for most of their classes. I am not sure how the school or the kids will manage. When even the phone companies are giving up land lines I am not sure how going without VOIP is going to be possible, or affordable with limited choices.

Plus people like you are taking advantage of people like me: Take away the cord cutters and do you think we would see the dramatic drop in prices from dish, DirectTV and cable? I can sign up for my old package at over half off what I was paying when I quit DirecTV 3 years ago. Hell DirectTV needs internet to work properly.

(I get it having any telephone and email is a convenience, because we have the US Mail service)
Should I give up my car and buy a horse? Convenient you forgot to mention this. While technically true, it is almost as ridiculous as you claim.

Lets face it the Amish prove it is all a convenience.

You are trying to put something there that isn't. You might have though the internet was going to be affordable. You had no guarantee of it. You had no guarantee the service provider would still exist. You bought the items knowing it takes the internet to access them. It is a silly argument to say I bought it knowing it would be affordable. absolutely silly.

You have 2 feet. You probably have access to a bicycle or buying a bicycle.

Car's aren't a right either... They are a privilege to those that can afford them.

 

[tetris42]

And you still have a phone? Last I looked phone doesn't equal the internet. If you had to choose which would you take. Smart money says the phone.

You're either trolling or you really don't get it. The phone was an analogy. Trying to get a job without internet today is like trying to get a job without a phone in the 90s. Possible, but it severely limits your odds in what you can find in what's already an employer's market. Yes, you still need a phone too. You need BOTH. Again, you need a job to survive in modern society, and you mostly need internet now to get that job.

I get what you're saying. Internet is not an essential need to live. Obviously humanity has gotten by for thousands of years without it. However to survive in MODERN SOCIETY, yes, on average, you really need internet to survive unless you have some magical money source that affords you the luxury of not needing employment. Hell, for that matter, you technically don't need money to survive either. See how far that gets you in the modern world however.

 

[Gavv]

You're either trolling or you really don't get it. The phone was an analogy. Trying to get a job without internet today is like trying to get a job without a phone in the 90s. Possible, but it severely limits your odds in what you can find in what's already an employer's market. Yes, you still need a phone too. You need BOTH. Again, you need a job to survive in modern society, and you mostly need internet now to get that job.

I get what you're saying. Internet is not an essential need to live. Obviously humanity has gotten by for thousands of years without it. However to survive in MODERN SOCIETY, yes, on average, you really need internet to survive unless you have some magical money source that affords you the luxury of not needing employment. Hell, for that matter, you technically don't need money to survive either. See how far that gets you in the modern world however.

You seem to be hung up in the job aspect

Free email accounts. ISP not needed. People still use gmail.

Access can be at a local public library. No ISP needed directly out of your pocket.

As I stated I am all for NN... however I call bullshit on the internet being essential and clearly it’s been shown to be a convenience.

My word for anyone to think that their Thermostat needing to be online is essential just shows how asinine we have become in not understanding essential vs convenience.

 

[wolfofone]

Don't get me wrong. I am not for shutting it down but be real what bit torrent is lol.

Well I use Resillio Sync (used to be called Bittorrent sync) to sync all my devices and backup my photos and videos from my phone so thats one legit use of BitTorrent at least

 

[tetris42]

You seem to be hung up in the job aspect

Free email accounts. ISP not needed. People still use gmail.

Access can be at a local public library. No ISP needed directly out of your pocket.

As I stated I am all for NN... however I call bullshit on the internet being essential and clearly it’s been shown to be a convenience.

My word for anyone to think that their Thermostat needing to be online is essential just shows how asinine we have become in not understanding essential vs convenience.

I misunderstood. If you mean PERSONAL internet, yes, you're probably right, that's generally not needed yet. I thought you were saying NO internet, and I just had to call out how much that would cripple for you getting a job. And yes, I am hung up on that, because you don't work, you don't have the means to support yourself. It is essential to survival in modern society.

 

[Deleted member 93354]

Lot of convenience

My health insurance requires the same... funny though work provides the time and a kiosk to sign up. More in a few lines

I’m sure your kids will manage.

Your home phone being on the internet can have other options. Convenience

Ok... the more part. Your job requires you have internet. Either they are compensating you for it through pay or providing a subsidy.

Everything down to w2’s are convenience.

W2’s are funny because while I too get mine online there’s an option to have them mailed. Convenience.

Taxes are convenience as well.

The cellphone thing is a joke. Convenience.

My work requires I have a cellphone. They provide the cellphone and internet he service. So either you’re compensated to supply the internet or you get a subsidy for it. Never worked for a place that didn’t provide in one of those two fashions. Most your list is convenience not essential.

Sorry that’s how I see it. In my mind nothing you listed is essential (except maybe the kids homework).

In my wife's case, I looked up a life threatening infection that was not responding to antibiotics while she was pregnant.

I cross correlated research papers with doctors and researchers and contacted them directly. I needed more information, more quickly, and more up to date than any traditional library could provide.

I'm not joking when I said my wife became a topic paper for a symposium by lead researchers.

She was eventually cured after she gave birth but the information I gained to help control it was invaluable.

Also getting a job is a lot easier through the internet than searching only the help wanted ads. I can advertise my skills all over the world. I can also post research papers via linkedin that demonstrate my knowledge in said field that increases my chances of getting hired.

I have an economic advantage when I can shop from multiple suppliers. And if I need to spec compare 25 different LEDs it's more economically practical and viable to do so by the web.

But what if I don't know how to wire a class AB amp. I guess I could go down to the local bookstore or library for knowledge. But if they don't have what I'm looking for I am out of luck. I could order a book from the bookstore. But how do I know it's any good without reviews or a peek inside?

Many people are obtaining college degrees and post graduate degrees via online courses. My wife and I both continue our education this way.

My car even sends diagnostic reports to the mfg so they can improve product and let me know of any impending issues or failures.

While I agree with you that the nation is a little too attached to their devices, I will also say they are more useful than ever. So, how are you saying "being on the web hasn't become vital to the nation?"

 

[Lunas]

We do have a choice if ISP’s decide to play stupid games....

The sad thing is most of us are addicted to having the internet like a meth addict...

Many of us have cut the cable cord... do we have the resolve to do the same if the ISP’s decide to bend us over further?

Really do we have a REAL choice in this day and age... no cable and no internet to me means i get to listen to broadcast radio... or 2 tv stations pbs and cbs... No steam library i cant pick up a ps4 switch or xbone all require a patch...

I suppose i could get back to nature go fishing and do stuff outside... oh and btw i have all of 2.5 isp in my town so i get to choose from cable or the shitty dsl service or the wifi mesh network that uses a first tier cable connection as the backbone... Btw when i was on that one i was able to get into the mesh network they had used the default password on it...

 

[NeoNemesis]

I thank

Many of us have cut the cable cord... do we have the resolve to do the same if the ISP’s decide to bend us over further?

Cutting cable is one thing. Cable TV is almost exclusively a form of entertainment, of which there are many competing types.

The internet is an absolute requirement for my job, so 'cutting the cord' would leave me unemployed.

 

[RayderR6]

I see the corporate shills "the government is a bunch of buffoons that waste your money anyway" are strong in this thread. How about instead of bending over to our upcoming corporate overlords who will never be voted on by us, we fix our government and keep it the peoples government. Campaign finance laws anyone...

 

[Gavv]

I misunderstood. If you mean PERSONAL internet, yes, you're probably right, that's generally not needed yet. I thought you were saying NO internet, and I just had to call out how much that would cripple for you getting a job. And yes, I am hung up on that, because you don't work, you don't have the means to support yourself. It is essential to survival in modern society.

Yes personal.

When you’re saying Yoy can’t survive without the internet... yea BS.

There’s ways to use it... inconvenient yes... doable yes.

In my wife's case, I looked up a life threatening infection that was not responding to antibiotics while she was pregnant.

I cross correlated research papers with doctors and researchers and contacted them directly. I needed more information, more quickly, and more up to date than any traditional library could provide.

I'm not joking when I said my wife became a topic paper for a symposium by lead researchers.

She was eventually cured after she gave birth but the information I gained to help control it was invaluable.

Also getting a job is a lot easier through the internet than searching only the help wanted ads. I can advertise my skills all over the world. I can also post research papers via linkedin that demonstrate my knowledge in said field that increases my chances of getting hired.

I have an economic advantage when I can shop from multiple suppliers. And if I need to spec compare 25 different LEDs it's more economically practical and viable to do so by the web.

But what if I don't know how to wire a class AB amp. I guess I could go down to the local bookstore or library for knowledge. But if they don't have what I'm looking for I am out of luck. I could order a book from the bookstore. But how do I know it's any good without reviews or a peek inside?

Many people are obtaining college degrees and post graduate degrees via online courses. My wife and I both continue our education this way.

My car even sends diagnostic reports to the mfg so they can improve product and let me know of any impending issues or failures.

While I agree with you that the nation is a little too attached to their devices, I will also say they are more useful than ever. So, how are you saying "being on the web hasn't become vital to the nation?"

Not even going to touch this.

Really do we have a REAL choice in this day and age... no cable and no internet to me means i get to listen to broadcast radio... or 2 tv stations pbs and cbs... No steam library i cant pick up a ps4 switch or xbone all require a patch...

I suppose i could get back to nature go fishing and do stuff outside... oh and btw i have all of 2.5 isp in my town so i get to choose from cable or the shitty dsl service or the wifi mesh network that uses a first tier cable connection as the backbone... Btw when i was on that one i was able to get into the mesh network they had used the default password on it...

I have the same. Cableone, century link dsl, and some little thing we wouldn’t even class as a real isp. The point is they aren’t essentials.... not like water or heat...conveniences.

I thank


Cutting cable is one thing. Cable TV is almost exclusively a form of entertainment, of which there are many competing types.

The internet is an absolute requirement for my job, so 'cutting the cord' would leave me unemployed.

If it’s a requirement for your job it’s different than being essential or convenience for personal use. Chances are you’re getting compensated by wage or subsidy by employer. Just like my phone. Requirement for the job they pay for the phone and the service... when the job ends I give it back....little different than the whole it’s so essential because the thermostat is hooked to it....

A side from the opinions you’re going to have the internet regardless of how they go with NN. Sure it probably changes things a little... I am sure you’ll pass that on

 

[aaronspink]

this whole thing is more insidious than even i thought.

The planned action represents a major victory for internet service providers, including Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon. According to Reuters and Automotive News, General Motors is also a proponent of the neutrality ban. The reasoning? “From our point of view,” GM said in a letter to the FCC, “mobile broadband being delivered to a car moving at 75 mph down a highway — or for that matter, stuck in a massive spontaneous traffic jam — is a fundamentally different phenomenon from a wired broadband connection to a consumer’s home, and merits continued consideration under distinct rules that take this into account.” To translate, GM wants ISPs to prioritize flow to autonomous cars that may need internet access at a higher rate of speed and at a greater density. That’s a legitimate concern. As anyone who has been to a concert can attest, wireless service can slow to a crawl when everyone starts uploading videos to their phones in a small area and the possible ramifications of a connected car losing service are immense. However, General Motors is also looking to get into the data business. And with so much money on the table, it might be handy for the company to spend more to have ISPs prioritize its content over that of its competitors. And that’s one thing that has advocates of net neutrality and a handful of companies very concerned. In July, a group representing technology firms, including Google-parent Alphabet (which includes Waymo) and Facebook Inc., urged Pai to drop his plans to rescind the rules.

disgusting.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/20...-rules-autonomous-victory-practical-disaster/

And yet, the current rules already have a call out for providing time sensitive critical safety bandwidth...

The rules as passed by the Wheeler FCC had a specific exemption to allow prioritization of critical safety information for things like safety, medical, etc.

 

[aaronspink]

It's not about being addicted to the internet. The internet is an essential part of millions of people's lives these days. The internet has become something that everyone needs access to. The internet needs to stay a Title II utility because of how much of an everyday requirement is has become and its only becoming more and more required. This is even more true for kids in school.

Internet access is even becoming a critical part of government infrastructure with a large portion of government access already prioritized to online access for even basic things. There are significant initiatives to get the remaining government interactions and services online including removing the need for minor offline requirements for those that have already partially transitioned. The impetus for these initiatives is the massive cost savings to the governments and the increased usability to consumers.

 

[tetris42]

When you’re saying Yoy can’t survive without the internet... yea BS.

By the way, you never answered my question: When IS the last time you had to look for a new job?

 

[Gavv]

By the way, you never answered my question: When IS the last time you had to look for a new job?

Is that really important to you?

I look for jobs weekly/monthly to see what is available.

However had to look would be over 23 years. Course that makes a shit bit of difference to anything.

 

[tetris42]

Is that really important to you?

I look for jobs weekly/monthly to see what is available.

However had to look would be over 23 years. Course that makes a shit bit of difference to anything.

I think it may color your perspective with how realistic going without internet completely is and getting employed, but we can disagree on that. If you're acknowledging that it IS required to get most jobs nowadays, just not necessarily personal internet at home, then I'm not arguing with what you're saying. Again, I misunderstood, I thought you were saying people didn't need internet AT ALL to get by.

 

[CaffeineMan]

And you still have a phone? Last I looked phone doesn't equal the internet. If you had to choose which would you take. Smart money says the phone.



You are trying to put something there that isn't. You might have though the internet was going to be affordable. You had no guarantee of it. You had no guarantee the service provider would still exist. You bought the items knowing it takes the internet to access them. It is a silly argument to say I bought it knowing it would be affordable. absolutely silly.

You have 2 feet. You probably have access to a bicycle or buying a bicycle.

Car's aren't a right either... They are a privilege to those that can afford them.

My kids have gotten zeros when the internet has gone out. I would expect you don't have kids in school, but when the ISP goes down at night (after my kids get off work and the library is closed) they fail, simply because they can not access their books, homework, and labs. I guess if they wanted to work at the Walmart the internet is not required.
We are American and this requires us to have access to the internet, it is expected from our employers, and our schools.

 

[TordanGow]

Is that really important to you?

I'm not a gambler, but I'd wager that looking for work is an important concern for a large portion of people.

Currently I am a hiring manager at a large corporation, 100000+ employees. We don't accept paper applications for employment postings. If you don't make your submission electronically we will not consider you. No exceptions. My company is not alone by any measure, Internet access is in essence required to participate in any meaningful way in modern society.

 

[zamardii12]

I am really tired of hearing about these fascists.

 

[trparky]

we fix our government and keep it the peoples government.

Good luck! The US federal government is so damn corrupt that if you ask me it's beyond fixing, we need to fire all of them in government and replace them all (and by that I mean vote them all out, absolutely NO VIOLENCE!). But of course that's not going to happen because most people who vote are too stupid to realize that they're being screwed six ways to Sunday so of course that's not going to happen. We still have people who vote along the "party line" where if given two choices Jesus Christ (Democrat) and Satan (Republican) people who are registered Republicans would still vote for Satan because he's a Republican. And I've not even started talking about state and local government which in a lot of places it would be funny if it wasn't so damn corrupt.

So no, I don't trust the government to help us at all, I wouldn't trust the government to take care of a dog; it would probably end up dead from starvation.

 

[Gavv]

I'm not a gambler, but I'd wager that looking for work is an important concern for a large portion of people.

Currently I am a hiring manager at a large corporation, 100000+ employees. We don't accept paper applications for employment postings. If you don't make your submission electronically we will not consider you. No exceptions. My company is not alone by any measure, Internet access is in essence required to participate in any meaningful way in modern society.

And this can’t be done at any public library? Why?