FCC fast-tracking 700MHz open-access rule changes under intense Verizon lobbying?
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Sep 27th 2007 2:09AM
posted Sep 27th 2007 2:09AM
Prepare to feel your carrier-hate well from within. Remember Verizon Wireless' lawsuit against the FCC claiming that the 700MHz open-access auction rule "violates the US Constitution?" Well, according to "industry sources," FCC chairman Kevin Martin is "aggressively pushing" for revisions to the 700MHz open-access rule in response to Verizon Wireless' lobbying efforts. However, having been met with an internal FCC "backlash" last week, Martin is said to be preparing a "declaratory ruling" in an effort to fast-track support for VZW's claim outside of the normal public-comment process. Insiders worry that Martin is caving to VZW pressure as the auction, expected to generate some $15 billion in FCC fun-money, draws near. Man, nothing says free market capitalism like a little protectionist bullying -- "can we sue you now." [Via Phonescoop]
Again, FCC lookin after their own backs, not ours. Sigh.
Can't Verizon just die already?
"Again, FCC lookin after their own backs, not ours. Sigh."
Just like the rest of our government. Whoever has the biggest wad of money, makes all the decisions.
"Can't Verizon just die already?"
That'll be the day. When Verizon, At&t, Comcast, RIAA, and MPAA all go bankrupt.
mo money, mo problems
If only I had large bank accounts I could wine and dine politicians with.
Who says you need to be president or a senator to make laws in this country? As long as you have a large bank account, you're in power!
woohoo America, democracy, freedom, and FOR THE PEOPLE! oh man god bless America!!
Doesn't corporate America get all sorts of tax breaks? Why the hell does it need it when they can bribe polictians and then spend another $15 billion dollars? I say we should take away these tax breaks so that the country stops raising our taxes. I'm tired of being screwed over by the private sector, they have already screwed me over more than my fair share (which really should be none, so it not really a share of anything). And I'm only 24 years old. Let's stop letting businesses push us around.
America is really becoming a shitty place to live.
becoming?
So someone doesn't like the possibility of some serious competition? The worst thing is that chances are that the FCC will bow down to big business.
If I were one of your customers I'd be doing everything to make your life difficult - like calling your free help line to drive up your operating costs.
Can you hear me now? Good - get bent.
This is why Japan will always have "Cooler" Stuff than Us Americans. Once Again Verizon has Put up a blockade to keep our wireless products as shitty as possible and hinder any innovation that may have arise... Everyone know competitive markets reap of innovation... We should all sue Verizon
This is rediculous but not at all surprising. Wireless companies have been screwing us for years and they wouldn't lose their cash cows without a fight.. It's disgusting that you have to have a corporation behind you to have any sway in this day and age. I can't even vote anyone out of office for this lobbying crap because they all are in on it. Sheesh.
Verizon has about the same revenue as the official price that the government pays for the war in Iraq, and Verizon isn't even the largest communications provider in the USA. You can be sure that a company with 93 billion dollars yearly revenue has got something to say at the FCC, which are basically made up of politicians that spend 4 days a week raising money from private funds for their re-election campaigns.
Hopefully increased bloggers scrutiny and extensive coverage on the Internet, could force FCC to do the right thing and represent the people as they are supposed to.
Everyone up and cancel their verizon contracts. Then they can't buy out the FCC! boo ya
In before Verizon bashing/praising
This is why the US has such a woeful mish-mash of cellular technology. Big business bullying.
I won't be surprised to see the FCC cave and submit to Verizon's requests, despite tthe fact that it is blatantly anti-consumer.
Just you wait, next up would be TV networks demanding we use certain brands of DVD players.
We should pay for what we use, but we should not be restricted in how we use it.
Dosnt mater if its electricity, the internet, or the electromagnetic spectrum.
Has everyone complaining in this thread emailed Verizon yet?
The least we can do is complain as loud as we can. (and the "they wont listen so I wont try" line is bad thinkiing too. It all adds up).
the thing is verizon is simply too big. overusing their free help line wouldnt really do much unless we were talking about millions of ppl calling at the same time and hopefully making their servers crash (still, 93 billion a year... you´d assume they do have some pretty powerful servers). and, still, those phones woulnt be ringing in usa. they hire call centers in, say, malaysia, where employees earn not more than 600 monthly dollars (im in argentina and worked for cisco for a year, doing over-the-phone tech support. never got paid more than $400 doing 40 hrs a week. really, they dont _lose_ money)
i dont mean to be that negative, specially being an outsider to the whole issue, but the answer is surely not in sending emails. a good idea would be to somehow boycot verizon, gather unsatisfied customers and massively cancel contracts. if it hasnt been done yet it must be quite difficult, but still that would be something that _would make them lose money_
Ah, Amerika. Home of the free (corporations) and the asleep (consumers).
I'm not surprised. Having written three papers on the net neutrality issue in grad school, the FCC allowing a open network would allow the winning company the ability to lease out the network. This would provide additional competition in the market place, hurting current ISP's bottom line, and would allow the winning company and its supporting clients and leasers an out to the "toll booth" issue regarding net neutrality. If this future network isn't open, no matter who the owner is, we will get screwed because it will kill a perfect opportunity to bring competition to the marketplace potential driving technology and speeds further and prices lower. Shame...
Who says the auction has to be held on the date specified, who says they don't have time for a public forum discussion. Who the hell says Verizon even has to bid on this. Its friggin simple you don't like the rules leave, you don't want to bid go away. Not I just hope Google outbids Verizon just so they don't get the good spectrum.
Hopefully the EFF will sue the FCC to prevent such sweeping changes without public discussion and get this back or even Google. They certainly could turn up the lobbyist cash flow.
I'm amazed at some of these comments.
If those of you who say that America is, or is becoming, such a rotten place to live, think it is really so bad here - then please do the rest of us Americans who still do and always will love America a favor by moving your unappreciative asses to some third-world country.
Then perhaps you'll see just how 'rotten' America really is. You people are sickening. Your a bunch of spoiled children who've had it too good and don't know how good your lives really are in this country. Again, those of you in this thread that curse America - you sicken me.
mykidsmom
We can only buy what is approved by the likes of Verizon. That's really what America is about? Funny when I took the oath, never said anything about less choice and only one choice.
I intend to stay thank you and write Congress and protest. Your suggestion we leave is pathetic. You and others just like you are why this country is in such a mess.
To say America is a bad place to be is pure hyperbole. But I understand their point - our country is by and large being held hostage by a few ever-growing corporations.
I'm not going to say corporations are bad - certainly not - but when their greed holds back technological innovations it's no real wonder we're getting our asses kicked by other countries.
America is about the right to dissent - why don't YOU leave? I'm sure they could use another human shield in Iraq.
"America is about the right to dissent"
THANK YOU! What is it about dissent that these people don't get? That's the very foundation of our country. What better way to be patriotic then to constantly try to improve the country and rally against things that make is worse?
Wow, mykidsmom you signed up just to impart your "lemming like, cool-aid drinking, brown shirt wisdom on us all" Read some history of the country you love so much Jirkoff. It was founded on "F-YOU, WE"RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT ANYMORE". Don't worry though, use who dare to speak out against wrong doing will drag you and your kind into a brighter AMERICAN future. Now go back to sleep and we will wake you after we have struggled and descented to make it better for us all!
America's not such a bad place. Just the people that live in it. And overbearing, greedy, pushy corporations that insist on selling everyone on their banter just gain an extra dollar. Oh, and Verizon, for being non-competitive dickwads, which, last I checked, isn't very good for the consumer, i.e. YOU.. and MYSELF.. and AMERICANS.
Perhaps you should read what you say more carefully, and understand that what you're spouting off isn't patriotic at all. It's fully supportive of what a lot of corporations and high government want you to believe, but it isn't what the country was entirely based on. The country was based on the power of the individual to make a change for the better of their country and to question its authority when it gets out of hand.
And maybe perhaps you should stop hiding inside the corporate trojan horse, waiting to spit out your own banter at individuals around you and start looking at the big picture. People may say this is a bad place to live, not because it's worse than living in a third world country (I don't think anybody would claim to want to live in a place where famine and disease run rampant), but that it's ever increasingly being controlled by money, and that power to lock down an entire government made by the people is now locking down the people themselves.
This country of the free and home of the brave now has to add sniffling rich dirtbags at the top corporate food chain to its long standing slogan.
"..so sonny, that there is how them lawyers become politicians! Now remember: You go to college and cheat on your exams or after highschool you get your realty license and become a slum lord. Somewhere down the line you run for a public office position and work your way to governor or even the senate. Or if you have old-family money, you just buy your way in. Then, you can pimp yourself out to the highest bidder. Usually telco lobbyists..." Let's all go swimming in the Chappaquiddick!
America is too large to keep up with other countries. Everyone says look at Japan, but the size of the country is soo small. Verizon, AT&T, Sprint have all invested billions of dollars into the network that the FCC has regulated for years. For the FCC now to go with open spectrum obviously the companies are going to have something to say about it.
http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/martin/mail.html email him
I was thrilled when I got Verizon / GTE out of my life completely - and their actions here show what a greedy, monopolistic and downright awful company they are!
Ahh the US Government. The best government money can buy.
isn't google bigger than verizon anyway? Seems to me they should have more muscle...
let's just steal the damn 700MHz. Aren't there enough nerds that we can begin broadcasting internet over homemade transceivers, and essentially force those big telecom boys to to change there business model like we did with music and file sharing? record companies make so much more money now, but they sure did their share of bitching when people were "stealing" their music. most didn't want to steal music, they just wanted the convenience and steve jobs got something right and now everyone's happy- sort of.