US backs 15 billion dollar investment in bettering broadband

[Shock]

Seems like the US wants to become a global leader in broadband accessability and speed by 2020. Hopefully Canada realizes our broadband options are pathetic compared to other countries.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/No-easy-fix-for-Americas-hmoney-1631355893.html?x=0

 

[Ares]

That is an easy fix Shock move to the US. J/K, Seriously how bad are you talking about?

 

[GO-NAD!]

Canada was a pioneer in broadband, then rested on the laurels. It's all because of the ISP cartel we have up here. There is very little competition, so there's very little incentive to compete on price or service.

 

[bandphan]

There is more to this broadband proposal.

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/191438/fccs_national_broadband_plan_whats_in_it.html

 

[Stereodude]

Don't worry, if the Federal Gov't is involved in it you can rest assured that the end goal won't be met, it will cost a pile more than they promised, and the solution to fix it will be more gov't.

Case in point... I guess they're hoping that no one remembers the $200 billion dollar "National Infrastructure Initiative" from the 90's that was supposed to give 86 million homes with 45Mbit/sec bi-directional internet service by 2006. The gov't spent the money, and I know I sure didn't get my 45Mbit/sec service. link another

So, they spent a pile, got nothing, are going to spend another pile, but this time it'll work!

 

[Craig234]

Don't worry, if the Federal Gov't is involved in it you can rest assured that the end goal won't be met, it will cost a pile more than they promised, and the solution to fix it will be more gov't.

Case in point... I guess they're hoping that no one remembers the $200 billion dollar "National Infrastructure Initiative" from the 90's that was supposed to give 86 million homes with 45Mbit/sec bi-directional internet service by 2006. The gov't spent the money, and I know I sure didn't get my 45Mbit/sec service. link another

So, they spent a pile, got nothing, are going to spend another pile, but this time it'll work!

Ya, reminds me how we never got to the moon when they said we'd go.

Damn right-wing dupes.

 

[Nugu]

How about they stop worrying about going faster and try to reach us poor forgotten rural folk. Dial-up costs 30$ a month here and didn't go "unlimited minutes" until 2002. That became available in 1999 when they finally re-did the phone lines...

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

4G should really help rural areas (hopefully), but honestly - I fully expect this 15b project will go down same route as last time - money/tax breaks will be given and absorbed by major telecoms - consumers will see no results at all.

 

[Stereodude]

Ya, reminds me how we never got to the moon when they said we'd go.

My bad... The space race of the 60's totally debunks that the idea that the gov't screwed up their last $200 billion expenditure on major broadband infrastructure upgrades.

 

[Stereodude]

I fully expect this 15b project will go down same route as last time - money/tax breaks will be given and absorbed by major telecoms - consumers will see no results at all.

Last time they used the $200 to buy up each other and merge with one another. Clearly the tax payers got their money's worth.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Last time they used the $200 to buy up each other and merge with one another. Clearly the tax payers got their money's worth.

Thumbs up for less competition !

 

[Craig234]

My bad... The space race of the 60's totally debunks that the idea that the gov't screwed up their last $200 billion expenditure on major broadband infrastructure upgrades.

When caught saying something wrong, pretend you said something else.

'Anything the federal government does doesn't work'.

'That's wrong, here's an example showing your generality is wrong'.

'Oh, well here's an example the government did not get done, so I can use an anecdote to try to prove a generalization I'll prtetend I never made.'

Or

SD: 'All pro golfers are cheaters'

Craig: 'No, most aren't, for example Jack Nicklaus has a happy marriage'

SD: 'Jack Nicklaus not cheating totally debunks that Tiger Woods cheated'

Predictably bad logic from right-wing dupes.

 

[nibhaz]

What is the point?

I just want to know when broadband access became a right…?

I’m not convinced that the potential for quality life improvements will out way the cost of a government funded infrastructure build out.

Though I cannot find scientifically supported statistics that directly states how many people do not have physical access to broadband services I would imagine that the % of the total US population is quite low, and is highly localized in rural areas.

However, I was able to find a government statistic for those who do not have broadband service only 4% site “service not available” as the primary reason. From the FCC.


So what gives? Why should this be subsidized by the taxpayers? Do they think that giving 100 Mbit/s access to the masses will make them smarter or more productive? Why don’t we start subsidizing smart phones and data plans while we are at?

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love a cheaper bill each month, but I seriously doubt that government involvement is the solution. It’s more likely they would actually end up screwing me over in the end.


On a side note: Google is looking at my community as a possible test site for their new fiber service...sweet