The FCC's Next Stunt: Reclassifying Cell Phone Data Service as 'Broadband Internet

[smilesammich 10,727]

Quote

This idea to reclassify smartphone data as broadband was first proposed in August, but with the net neutrality repeal out of the way, the FCC is expected to vote on the proposal by February 3. Currently, the FCC defines broadband connection as 25Mbps download speeds and 3Mbps upload speeds minimum. The new proposal would keep these minimums in place for fixed wireline broadband but also expand the definition to include cell phone data coverage.

This would not only camouflage many of the communities in the US with no access to the internet, but could prevent them from getting necessary funding to build that access. Cell service is often slower, more expensive, and comes with data caps, and even tethering a computer to a phone for internet isn’t a long-term solution, especially for families with multiple people trying to log on at once to do homework, or work, or watch Netflix.

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/mbpezp/fcc-smartphone-data-reclassification

welcome to my nightmare.

[yuna628 9,675]

11 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

welcome to my nightmare.

My husband is laughing and saying if that's how the FCC defines broadband then the 'broadband' we have isn't even broadband at all.

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

26 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

welcome to my nightmare.

Maybe the 1 billion AT&T just invested because of the tax cuts and net repeal will help 

 

I rember when the govt deregulated the phone industry.  Costs dropped like a rock and technology exploded 

[smilesammich 10,727]

8 minutes ago, yuna628 said:

My husband is laughing and saying if that's how the FCC defines broadband then the 'broadband' we have isn't even broadband at all.

i was seriously hoping that it was only a matter of time until broadband came down our road. stops about seven houses up. all we can get is verizon wireless. i pay 150 bucks a month for 30GB to split three ways. we no longer stream anything and my son is at my parents every weekend and every school break (where the unlimited cheap actual broadband is) so he can game. basically use the wireless data at home for work and school, and then my son's phone and my phone..voila 30GBs runs out quick. very rarely do i carry a GB over to the next billing cycle.

[smilesammich 10,727]

5 minutes ago, Nature Boy Flair said:

Maybe the 1 billion AT&T just invested because of the tax cuts and net repeal will help 

 

I rember when the govt deregulated the phone industry.  Costs dropped like a rock and technology exploded 

i doubt it. if they don't find it profitable to spend the $ on infrastructure with government incentives just to pick up an odd handful of 30 customers on a country road now..why would they do it with zero incentive? the kindness of their hearts? please.

[yuna628 9,675]

12 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

i was seriously hoping that it was only a matter of time until broadband came down our road. stops about seven houses up. all we can get is verizon wireless. i pay 150 bucks a month for 30GB to split three ways. we no longer stream anything and my son is at my parents every weekend and every school break (where the unlimited cheap actual broadband is) so he can game. basically use the wireless data at home for work and school, and then my son's phone and my phone..voila 30GBs runs out quick. very rarely do i carry a GB over to the next billing cycle.

Jeez... I feel you. Verizon is truly horrible.. they provide us basic internet well below any previous or proposed new standard. It's supposed to be 'high speed' and it's a joke. Sometimes we tether the phones if there's something really important to get downloaded.. we've had times they throttled too. Not really possible to have multiple people doing things at the same time here. They installed fiber-optic along the highway outside the woodland developments, but won't run anything of the sort up here. Went to my dentist last week who just moved to that road and was furious -- Verizon told him it would be over a month before they would even come out and turn it on! He was having to run over to ATT and purchase a hotspot just to be able to function for patients. Most of us residents have constant issues with 'high-open' as they run what internet they do provide over the old underground lines and refuse to fix them, and it generally takes weeks for them to even look at the problem. They just aren't interested and they certainly are not interested in providing internet to us folk in rural areas.

 

This was to my understanding, an already negotiated bonus in the union contract for some time ago.. and investment was proposed already last month.. they are just being flashy about it now to make themselves look better.

Edited December 20, 2017 by yuna628

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

29 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

i was seriously hoping that it was only a matter of time until broadband came down our road. stops about seven houses up. all we can get is verizon wireless. i pay 150 bucks a month for 30GB to split three ways. we no longer stream anything and my son is at my parents every weekend and every school break (where the unlimited cheap actual broadband is) so he can game. basically use the wireless data at home for work and school, and then my son's phone and my phone..voila 30GBs runs out quick. very rarely do i carry a GB over to the next billing cycle.

I’m with Verizon as well.  Their service is “meh”.  Coverage... meh.  But I have unlimited data.  Can you not get that in your area?

[smilesammich 10,727]

4 hours ago, IDWAF said:

I’m with Verizon as well.  Their service is “meh”.  Coverage... meh.  But I have unlimited data.  Can you not get that in your area?

unlimited data* ??? can't risk the throttle

[yuna628 9,675]

19 minutes ago, smilesammich said:

unlimited data* ??? can't risk the throttle

What is this thing they call unlimited?

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

5 hours ago, Nature Boy Flair said:

Maybe the 1 billion AT&T just invested because of the tax cuts and net repeal will help 

 

I rember when the govt deregulated the phone industry.  Costs dropped like a rock and technology exploded 

ATT was totally absent in the last round of wireless bids that will allow them to build out their 5g networks. It is almost like they are not even trying. If it is not a merger with another media firm they are not interested.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

54 minutes ago, Il Mango Dulce said:

ATT was totally absent in the last round of wireless bids that will allow them to build out their 5g networks. It is almost like they are not even trying. If it is not a merger with another media firm they are not interested.

 

   So much winning. They're already working on 6g no doubt.

[Amica Nostra 4,803]

1 hour ago, Steeleballz said:

 

   So much winning. They're already working on 6g no doubt.

With one billion they will build  the best 6 g network in America

[jayjayj 571]

12 hours ago, smilesammich said:

i doubt it. if they don't find it profitable to spend the $ on infrastructure with government incentives just to pick up an odd handful of 30 customers on a country road now..why would they do it with zero incentive? the kindness of their hearts? please.

Rural areas are definitely getting the short end of the stick when it comes to broadband access.  

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

5 hours ago, jayjayj said:

Rural areas are definitely getting the short end of the stick when it comes to broadband access.  

yes we are.  have to use satellite internet and that's very pricey. 

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

19 minutes ago, Ban Hammer said:

yes we are.  have to use satellite internet and that's very pricey. 

There is actually an FCC charge on Phone Bill. It is a fund to provide services to rural areas, where it is not profitable to do so.

 

It got turned into Obama Phones