Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record - You apparently have to put his failure in full context....
Links: home · search · speed test · login · more ·
Links: New Topic
Forums »
jeffjs @ 30th May 10:43AM:
Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
Kevin Martin is an idiot.
reply
hopeflicker @ 30th May 10:44AM:
768kbps
Im sure 768kbps was bought and paid for by some insider to keep speeds low and prices high.
reply
MoeDumb @ 30th May 10:47AM:
Re: Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
said by jeffjs :
Kevin Martin is an idiot.
Corporate tool.
--
Who is Jesus? and Why it matters (to YOU).
reply
TK Junk Mail @ 30th May 10:50AM:
The non-video record of meeting
»d6.allthingsd.com/20080529/martin/#more-68
reply
acoustix @ 30th May 11:01AM:
Definition of Broadband
Of course, it would have been better if the FCC would have used a different term than "broadband". Broadband originally had a definition of signaling and had nothing to do with speed. Leave it to the government to just pull definitions out of their butt.
They should have just defined "high-speed access" as a certain number and then changed that as they see fit. But what do I know - I'm only a network admin.
reply
SyNiSt3r @ 30th May 11:04AM:
Re: Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
Calling kevin martin an idiot is an insult to idiots everywhere. I wonder if the Fcc is going to rule on the sirius/xm merger before the average age of the members of this forum is 100. Well over a year and they cant make up their minds. Bleeding two companies dry every single day that they have to wait on these fools to say something.
Im not sure he knows what broadband is. We pay up to 4 times as much as other countries and our service is worse?
Come on kevin, Get your head out of your @$$.
The Fcc makes me want to puke.
reply
jeffjs @ 30th May 11:08AM:
Re: Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
Corporate tool.
Huh? I can't have an opinion?
--
I walk upon this Earth by the power of my own two legs.
reply
DataDoc @ 30th May 11:13AM:
Re: Definition of Broadband
said by acoustix :
Leave it to the government to just pull definitions out of their butt.
They should have just defined "high-speed access" as a certain number and then changed that as they see fit. But what do I know - I'm only a network admin.
So why aren't you posting over at "highspeedaccessreports.com"? :)
It's a term in common usage, too late to change.
reply
bogey780 @ 30th May 11:14AM:
Re: 768kbps
Change it to 2Mb/s... won't change a single thing about access but it'll make you feel better.
reply
MattE @ 30th May 11:24AM:
Interesting Points All Around
There were several interesting points raised:
1) Martin said if you compare our high pop density areas to some of those countries, we're ahead. So, he's saying if you eliminate all the rural areas, we're ahead of other countries in broadband penetration and speed.
2) The Verizon guy said their "certification program" for their open access CDMA network would only take 2 weeks. That means 2 weeks form the time a manufacturer submits a handset for approval until it's our of the Verizon Labs.
3) He also stated that the open network users would NOT pay a higher rate for access to the network than someone who purchases a handset (even with closed VZW software) directly from Verizon.
4) Martin sidestepped the Net Neutrality issue pretty well, although he said Net Neutrality and the Analog to Digital TV transition were his two biggest challenges right now.
5) Martin wants to shift the USF from voice to broadband. In other words, the ILECs still get to gorge at the buffet with no oversight.
6) Martin equates mandatory line sharing with the reason our broadband speeds are behind other countries.
Also, on a personal note, I have a slightly different opinion of Chairman Martin now. He's not the maniacal, behind the curtain cackling mastermind I thought he was. He comes across as a complete and utter wimp. Intelligent no doubt, but I bet the ILECs just walk all over him.
Overall, it was a very good interview and I'm glad to see SOMEONE raising these issues directly with the folks responsible.
reply
hopeflicker @ 30th May 11:27AM:
Re: 768kbps
this isnt about access, it's defining what broadband is.
reply
anon @ 30th May 12:45PM:
Re: The non-video record of meeting
Thanks for the time you take posting links.
reply
bogey780 @ 30th May 11:39AM:
Re: 768kbps
Well broadband is a technical term. If you want to define it as an access term then you're not doing anything but pointing a finger at marketers.
reply
EPS @ 30th May 11:49AM:
Re: 768kbps
said by hopeflicker :
Im sure 768kbps was bought and paid for by some insider to keep speeds low and prices high.
768kbps is a vast improvement over "narrowband" dial-up internet, though, and is fairly suitable for web browsing, though things like streaming video and downloading large files aren't great. It's a decent start for a discount low-end tier, I would think.
And even if the FCC tomorrow said that broadband was 10mbps symmetrical and nothing else, that wouldn't magically cause all connections to become that fast or cause companies to accelerate deployment- already the companies themselves (or at least, Comcast and Verizon) use the vague term "High Speed Internet" more often than broadband, they'll just stop using the term broadband altogether.
reply
koitsu @ 30th May 11:54AM:
Re: Interesting Points All Around
said by MattE :
There were several interesting points raised: ...
I agree. All of those points were interesting, from the perspective of "Oh, so that's how they interprete/see it".
I don't think some of their viewpoints are realistic, except for Verizon's view of how to deploy FiOS (from one locality to the next). And Martin did touch base on why that is, inadvertently -- because there's a lot of red tape per county or city. That's a sad reality.
I'm *thrilled* about FiOS -- even though it's not available here -- because it's proof that a company in this country does understand that the existing infrastructure we've used for the past 70 years isn't going to suffice. Verizon "gets it", meaning they're taking the "F*** this, we'll just lay it ourselves" approach, which is really what needs to be done.
The only part that burns my ass is that as taxpayers, we've more or less already paid into the system that's supposed to upgrade that infrastruture. The money just goes off into lala land, rather than where it should be going. Every American already knows this, though.
Also, on a personal note, I have a slightly different opinion of Chairman Martin now. He's not the maniacal, behind the curtain cackling mastermind I thought he was. He comes across as a complete and utter wimp. Intelligent no doubt, but I bet the ILECs just walk all over him.
Overall, it was a very good interview and I'm glad to see SOMEONE raising these issues directly with the folks responsible.
I agree with you on both points. I wish Martin would play hardball though -- something he hasn't done...
reply
anon @ 30th May 11:56AM:
Re: Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
Actually the companies themselves are BLEEDING THEMSELVES dry. Just look at all the EXHORBITANT Salaries in Sirius. Mel $30+Million for what?
Howard Stern (although I'm a fan and subscriber)
$100mil per year?? You have got to be kidding!! The next highest bidder was only about $30mil per year.
Just take a look at the Annual report on the salaries of the top execs and you wll see what I mean.
**NO** to the merger!
After Howies done so am I(maybe sooner). There is nothing worthwhile on it anyway.
reply
jhawk44 @ 30th May 12:12PM:
Re: Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
He's talking about Martin not you.
reply
anon @ 30th May 12:45PM:
Re: Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
He looks like a young Republican...
reply
deadzoned @ 30th May 12:18PM:
If anything
If anything, it shows how slick of a politician Martin is. Bravo sir! Bravo! (Too bad it's that exact sort of thing that's screwing us over as a country in the area of broadband!)
I really do think the answer is for the government to step in and start doing it everywhere in the form of Muni-Fiber like Lafayette Louisiana. I think that when push comes to shove, if enough of these Muni-Projects started sprouting up that the incumbents would wake up and take notice and begin real efforts towards wiring this country the right way. Verizon is sort of doing the right thing by deploying FTTH in some areas but we need at&t, COX, etc... on board as well to really get things moving.
reply
jc1350 @ 30th May 12:19PM:
Re: Definition of Broadband
Because the name DOES fit. This used to be "dslreports.com." DSL is a broadband service (not because of speed, but because it has multiple signals on the same wire - as opposed to baseband which is one discrete signal on the wire). Since cable also provides Internet service and is broadband (regardless of speed), "broadbandreports.com" is more inclusive.
Some of the other services ranked/monitored/reported/etc at this site are not broadband even if they have 10 Gb/s speeds.
reply
DataDoc @ 30th May 12:28PM:
Re: Definition of Broadband
Please, give me more technical information in response to a joke.
reply
haplo2112 @ 30th May 12:33PM:
How does one get his job?
I'd like to offer myself up for the position.
reply
hopeflicker @ 30th May 12:35PM:
Re: 768kbps
said by EPS :said by hopeflicker :
Im sure 768kbps was bought and paid for by some insider to keep speeds low and prices high.
768kbps is a vast improvement over "narrowband" dial-up internet, though, and is fairly suitable for web browsing, though things like streaming video and downloading large files aren't great. It's a decent start for a discount low-end tier, I would think.
my comparison of the 768 was with other parts of the world. But yes, it is a good improvement from dial up.
--
Religion does three things quite effectively: Divides people, Controls people, Deludes people.
reply
raptor1418 @ 30th May 12:49PM:
Re: If anything
said by deadzoned :
Verizon is sort of doing the right thing by deploying FTTH in some areas but we need at&t, COX, etc... on board as well to really get things moving.
It's ashame Qwest can't really be bothered with these types of decisions. They just play the role as the sheep and in some case the lost sheep. The wait to see approach is not a good way to go.
reply
openbox9 @ 30th May 12:58PM:
Re: 768kbps
Definitions are irrelevant. What good will changing the definition of broadband from 256 kbps in at least one direction to 768 kbps accomplish? Change the definition to 10 Mbps, or 10 Mbps. For kicks, you can even define broadband as 100 Mbps full duplex. It doesn't matter. If you're hoping that ISPs will suddenly increase throughput capabilities of the connections because they call it broadband access, they merely need to rename their service to high speed access.
reply
hopeflicker @ 30th May 01:02PM:
Re: 768kbps
said by openbox9 :
Definitions are irrelevant. What good will changing the definition of broadband from 256 kbps in at least one direction to 768 kbps accomplish? Change the definition to 10 Mbps, or 10 Mbps. For kicks, you can even define broadband as 100 Mbps full duplex. It doesn't matter. If you're hoping that ISPs will suddenly increase throughput capabilities of the connections because they call it broadband access, they merely need to rename their service to high speed access.
So you are saying that the FCC rules/definitions are irrelevant?
And again, im talking about the measly 768kbps that the FCC defines as broadband. Im not talking about ACCESS.
and if they rename it as "high speed" then im sure the FCC will define what "high speed" is.
--
Religion does three things quite effectively: Divides people, Controls people, Deludes people.
reply
openbox9 @ 30th May 01:04PM:
Re: 768kbps
said by hopeflicker :
So you are saying that the FCC rules/definitions are irrelevant?
For broadband, yes. Show me why the broadband definition is relevant.
reply
jc1350 @ 30th May 01:12PM:
Re: Definition of Broadband
ok. I will.
From Wikipedia:
DSL, like many other forms of communication, stems directly from Claude Shannon's seminal 1948 scientific paper: A Mathematical Theory of Communication. Employees at Bellcore (now Telcordia Technologies) developed ADSL in 1988 by placing wideband digital signals above the existing baseband analog voice signal carried between telephone company central offices and customers on conventional twisted pair cabling
:D
reply
nasadude @ 30th May 02:30PM:
Re: Kevin Martin Defends Shoddy Broadband Record
Martin is certainly no idiot and corporate tool is the least of what he can be called.
I like political flunky and telco whore myself.
reply
Mr Matt @ 30th May 04:39PM:
Don't blame Kevin blame the continuous campaign
:( The failure of the FCC to shepherd the development of Broadband in the United States is a symptom of a much more pervasive problem. That of the Continuous Campaign and the politicizing every department in Government. Department heads are not selected based on skills and experience but political connections and political payback for support of the incumbent.
Remember George and the terrible trio: Katrina, Brownie and FEMA. We are seeing the same problem in the FCC. We have to ask ourselves if Kevin is the brightest bulb in the string, when it comes to administrating an agency as critical as the FCC? If one looks back to FDR's Administration we will he gave us the New Deal. A effort to move the US economy out of the Depression. Our current administration has given Americans the Dirty Deal. An effort to plunder the treasury for the benefit of Corporate America.
In order to bring fiber to every home we need an agency like the Rural Electrification Administration of the 1930's. That agency was the primary force that made it possible to delivered Electric Power and Telephone Service, to small towns and rural America. The United States needs a non political agency that can shepherd the development of Fiber Technology to every home in the United States. Compare the cost per mile to install fiber, to the cost per mile to build roads. If the government can afford to construct roads to serve homes in America it can afford to construct a wide area fiber network to serve homes in America.
Unfortunately I do not see the development of such an agency because the CATV and Telecommunications Lobby influence who our Government supports through generous campaign contributions.
5/31/08 Check out this link to an article that describes the electrification of rural America.
»newdeal.feri.org/tva/tva10.htm
Note that recently the Telecommunication/CATV Cartel has used the courts to try to stop Government development of rural Wide Area Networks. In the 1930's the private power industry tried to use the courts to try and stop Government development of Rural Electrification Cooperatives.
reply
DHRacer @ 30th May 06:08PM:
Early brain death
He needs to loosen that tie. It's clearly depriving his brain of oxygen...
reply
tao @ 30th May 09:28PM:
The state of broadband....
While watching the video, my connection froze. Freakin Comcastic!
reply
anon @ 31st May 03:59AM:
don't like these guys
i pay $59 something for 1.5 internet, hoping one day things will be very shaken up
reply
Kevin Martin @ 1st Jun 01:43AM:
WTF
I'm not an idiot!
reply
Thank you for using lo-fi dslreports.com - report bugs
© 99-2008 silver matrix LLC