Broadband in a Full Democracy
Tue, 2008-10-28 00:46
#1
Spectrum
Broadband in a Full Democracy
Tue, 2008-10-28 00:46
#2
Spectrum
[img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_g1t5PgNS7jU/SQIDypyrEgI/AAAAAAAAAEg/P1pZN6FrO7...
quote:
Canada has slipped from its early broadband leadership position to barely ranking in the OECD's Top 10. (Associated Press)
It is important to understand the government's current position in relation "to business" and the effect it could have to allow an "air wave" that was recently put under auction( would call for an open source initiative?)may undermine business, by allowing an access to a free internet under that broadband system.
I currently see that libraries should be such "free zones" under the auspice of "knowledge open to the public." Secondly, no discrimination to rural Canadians and access to this knowledge, and access to Universities and institutes that supply information openly on their databases and archives.
quote:
[i]One should take note on the developing context of "Full Democracy"
based on the preceding post. Control of media has past to companies who control access to the internet and subsequent market capitalization to
control and become a one world government media?[/i]
[url=http://cep1133.blogspot.com/2008/10/broadband-in-full-democracy.html]Bro... in a Full Democracy Friday, October 24, 2008[/url]
[b]On relaunch[/b]
There were some difficulties interpreting the new tool selection choices that one could use on beta. That would have been my fault for not studying it better. It still leaves the question of editing.
[ 28 October 2008: Message edited by: admin ]
Wed, 2008-10-29 22:08
#3
I'm paying an arm and a leg for TV, internet and telephone from Bell. I guess I'll just have to start writing bad cheques again.
Thu, 2008-10-30 00:18
#4
Spectrum
quote:
Originally posted by Fidel:
[b]I'm paying an arm and a leg for TV, internet and telephone from Bell. I guess I'll just have to start writing bad cheques again.[/b]
Again? I'm surprised you still have it [img]smile.gif" border="0[/img]
Well, if worst comes to worst, you can always use the library, and lets say you do have a laptop.
Can you get this service free? Is there a difference between the libraries in rural towns versus large cities? Why would there be this difference? Why, if a centre for knowledge would you be limited or not at all access when you are allowed books to read?
Best,
Thu, 2008-10-30 05:18
#5
quote:
Is there a difference between the libraries in rural towns versus large cities? Why would there be this difference? Why, if a centre for knowledge would you be limited or not at all access when you are allowed books to read?
There has always been a difference in access to information and education resources between rural and urban communities. In Canada we expect communities to effectively fend for themselves (similarly to in the USA); you get free wireless internet access where your local community can afford it, if not, move to Toronto. Some local communities don't even have the chance to provide such a service, as the private providers of internet have deemed extending service to some communities as not cost-effective; it never will be, so unless these companies are nationalized or otherwise compelled there will always been rural Canadians without access to information that would be easily accessible in urban centers.
Thu, 2008-10-30 09:39
#6
Spectrum
quote:
Originally posted by It's Me D:
[b]There has always been a difference in access to information and education resources between rural and urban communities. In Canada we expect communities to effectively fend for themselves (similarly to in the USA);[/b]
I guess this is where my naivetй comes in terms of our "public institutions" that seek to give us as much knowledge to it's citizens regardless of where they live, and who they are. What programs are in place to ensure that besides offering grants to go beyond this "bit and parcel of" portraying itself as truly representing the people of this country?
Why, if I am in a rural community, access to experience less then what someone who has access to the archive of colleges with speed[ a reformation in terms of how information is being displayed( Youtube, video uplinks, downloads and class recordings, to Skype telecommunications, )] to not have the same benefits under this means of communication as those that are supported in the infrastructure of those same populated centres.
Government is then allowing compartmentalization of a service that is "out there" and like the sun being taxed, while we see the benefit in our plants and things, do not see the same growth out of the technologies that are as much public as they are to benefit to companies having recreated opportunities under the auspice of this compartmentalization. Further "tax dollars" [b]to provide incentive for business yet announcing it's okay not to push this live feed of communication or satellite into the most remote corners of our globe.[/b]
So on having sold the air waves, what can be done now? What areas in that broadband are reserved for public institutions?
Best,
Thu, 2008-10-30 09:54
#7
Spectrum
I have to apologize because it is always a work in progress and "not being fully informed" I will fall under certain realizations.
quote:
[i]The head of the U.S. telecommunications regulator is in favour of opening up unused portions of the country's wireless airwaves, known as "white spaces" for new broadband services, and will bring the issue to a vote in November.
Kevin Martin, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, on Wednesday said he supports the use of white spaces, which sit between television broadcast frequencies in the 150 megahertz and 700 megahertz bands, for delivering wireless internet services.
Those white spaces are unlicensed and could therefore be used for free by anyone, unlike the licensed frequencies such as 700 megahertz that were recently auctioned off in the United States to cellphone carriers.
[b]Companies including Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Motorola Inc. have been lobbying the FCC for the past year to make those airwaves available so that they could offer wireless broadband without paying billions of dollars for licences.[/b]
Such services would compete with cellular offerings from the likes of AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc., Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile.
The cellular providers and television broadcasters had raised concerns that devices operating in the white space frequencies could interfere with their signals. The FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology on Wednesday refuted those concerns after testing a number of devices. The report stated that devices equipped with geo-location and sensing capabilities would not cause interference.
"At this juncture, we believe that the burden of 'proof of concept' has been met," the report said.
Martin, a Republican, told reporters he would bring the issue of opening up white space to a vote when the FCC next meets, on Nov. 4.
Google, among others, cheered the news from Martin.
"This news should be greatly encouraging for American consumers," wrote Google's Washington telecom and media counsel on the company's blog. "The FCC now has more than enough information to develop appropriate rules that protect TV stations and wireless microphone users from harmful interference, while at the same time allowing innovators and entrepreneurs to develop technology that productively uses these airwaves."
Industry Canada, which is responsible for managing spectrum, has not yet addressed the issue of whether access to white spaces could be freed up here. Industry Canada does, however, licence some of the same white space frequencies being looked at by the FCC to internet service providers in rural and remote communities.[/i]
[url=http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/10/16/tech-whitespaces.html]U.S. moving toward offering free wireless airwaves[/url]
Those "white spaces" belong to the Canadian people. Those "White Spaces" belong to "Free people of Full Democracies?"
[ 30 October 2008: Message edited by: admin ]
Thu, 2008-10-30 10:17
#8
Spectrum
So, here we are.
An open source initiative to provide free access to information and the utilities of this communication, while recognizing the developing technologies under regulation, as if, Microsoft and Netscape are being confronted under the idea of "who controls the Airwaves."
It should not pass anybodies attention that if Google can attain this access that under the idea of remote places, it will extend it's market capabilities to the 80% of this population under ad banners that would incite consumerism to a new level in trade and purchased?
So what use these new, "I phones, Blackberries that attach themself to google or Yahoo or Shaw, that it could monopolize these white spaces?
Consumerism is always a powerful force in that such regulation could be sought to develop technologies apart from the current structure to attain those white spaces? "If they are free" then why should we not have access to them?
Just thinking out loud.
Best,
[ 30 October 2008: Message edited by: admin ]
Thu, 2008-10-30 10:44
#9
Admin: to be honest I have some trouble following your posts. I have some interest in the topic but I'm not really tech-savvy... Anyway I thought you might be interested in this initiative if you haven't heard of it previously:
[url=http://www.gov.ns.ca/econ/broadband/]Nova Scotia Broadband Initiative[/url]
quote:
The Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia initiative will deliver high speed access to the Internet to 100 per cent of Nova Scotians. When the initiative is completed at the end of 2009, the entire province will have high-speed Internet access, making Nova Scotia one of the most connected jurisdictions in North America. This will give our schools, businesses and families the opportunity to connect and compete worldwide.
Of course it is Nova Scotia, so this is a PPP project:
quote:
The $74-million broadband initiative is being cost shared by the provincial and federal governments and the successful service providers. The provincial contribution is $19.6 million. The federal contribution is a maximum of $14.5 million under the Building Canada infrastructure plan. The shared cost to the companies will be $40.4 million.
Are there similar projects going on in other provinces? (I don't know) I imagine this will help the situation for rural residents' access to information, though I have some concerns regarding the role of the private sector in the project and how that will restrict access to this nominally public (or heavily publicly funded anyway) infrastructure.
Thu, 2008-10-30 23:35
#10
As I mentioned in the other thread, this section is for original compositions that you publish on babble in the opening post of the thread, not links to other sites (even your own). I'm going to move this to the media forum.
Thu, 2008-10-30 23:38
#11
Here it is, in the media forum.
Fri, 2012-03-30 02:58
#12
Free Wireless Broadband for the Masses
When you think of basic human rights, access to wireless broadband Internet probably isn't at the top of the list. But a new company backed by a Skype cofounder disagrees, and plans to bring free mobile broadband to the U.S. later this year under the slogan "The Internet is a right, not a privilege."Called FreedomPop, the service will give users roughly a gigabyte of free high-speed mobile Internet access per month on Clearwire's WiMAX network and forthcoming LTE network. It will offer other low-cost prepaid plans that provide access to more data.
FreedomPop vice president of marketing Tony Miller gave few specific details about the company's offerings and how it plans to make money-and won't yet name executives or founders-but says he expects the service to roll out in the U.S. sometime between July and September and to eventually branch out to other countries as well.
LTE and 4G Wimax. Cool!
Fri, 2012-03-30 07:52
#13
I'm paying an arm and a leg for TV, internet and telephone from Bell. I guess I'll just have to start writing bad cheques again.
You can always pawn your prostheses.
Fri, 2012-03-30 10:00
#14
Boom Boom
For me Satellite TV (ExpressVu) from Bell averages $90/month; Telus phone/dialup Internet cost me $54.00/month. My television programming costs more than my phone and Internet combined.
Fri, 2012-03-30 16:18
#15
I dropped cable and saving a bundle every month as a result.
And now I am an unapologetic pirater of movies and documentaries. And I do my bit to seed torrents as well. I give back. With Rogers I have a 125 Gig download limit every month and pay about pennny or two for every Mbyte after that. I've never come close to exceeding the limit, though. I'm hooked on foreign films and Vinny Diesel Fast and Furious movies. My living room sounds like the cinema on weekends with harrowing car chases and shoot'em ups. I'm eating popcorn like it's going outa style.
Sat, 2012-03-31 07:52
#16
Had fibre-op installed yesterday. Took em about 5 hours to re-wire everything. The promo was just too good, and the regular monthly far lower than the existing service with more options and variety. And so while the guys were busy setting everything up, I was listening to the other company that I'd phoned to discontinue their service inform me about all the wonderful things they could do if I'd consider sticking with them. So I sez to them that the installers here now brung me a free flatscreen TV, and if only they'd offer the same deal but the next size up from that, maybe i'd phone them back in about a month once the free optional previews were used up. They weren't authorized to do that kind of thing. Then I sez somebody in that company should get around to authorizing something soon, because almost everyone I talk to in the neighboorhood is getting a brand spanking new flatscreen too. I figure it's pretty bad when Socialists have to remind Capitalists about the value of competition.
Sat, 2012-03-31 16:19
#17
..applied for fibre over a year ago and was told that my address doesn't have access yet. tried again today and got the same reply. the base price is $10 for ($30 for 100 gigs)
- 10 Mbps download with 1 Mbps upload
- 10 GB per month Internet data transfer
- 10 email accounts
- 100 MB email space per email account
- 100 MB of web space with 1 GB traffic
- No contracts or fine print
..voip is also offered for $10
- Keep your phone number
- VoiceMail
- Caller ID
- Call Waiting
- Call Forwarding
- Call Hold
- Call Return
- Automatic Call Back
- 3-way Calling
- Speed Dial
..until i get access to fibre i pay $65 for cable internet and phone.
Sat, 2012-03-31 16:46
#18
@ Slumberjack
Sat, 2012-03-31 20:30
#19
..until i get access to fibre i pay $65 for cable internet and phone.
Which service provider is that, epaulo13?
Sun, 2012-04-01 01:43
#20
radiorahim
We have an oligopoly in the Canadian market, a regulator stacked with hacks from the telco and infotainment industries and a government that appoints the hacks. The game is rigged and that's why telecom is so backward in Canada. It's there to suck the maximum amount of money out of people while investing as little as they can get away with in upgrading the infrastructure.
I am without cable right now and will be forever since Rogers is the cable provider and they royally pissed me off with their callous excuse for "customer service" a few years ago. I've gone with putting up a TV antenna and have a digital/analog converter box I picked up for $35...that gives me all the free to air local and semi-local TV stations. I've also hooked up an old GNU/Linux computer with a VGA/composite video converter picked up for $30 and use that for online video and any video I have stored on my home network.
My internet service from Bell Canada is unlimited but overpriced and slow. When I get a little less busy and get organized I'll dump them for a re-seller like TekSavvy.
Sun, 2012-04-01 02:17
#21
..until i get access to fibre i pay $65 for cable internet and phone.Which service provider is that, epaulo13?
..shaw
Sun, 2012-04-01 02:28
#22
..2001 i went and lived in penticton for about 5 years. the city set up a pilot project that created it's own fibre phone and internet system which also incorporated the schools. it cost $100,000. the system set up was capable of delivering those services to the entire city..except that it was the prov that regulated this and would not allow the city to expand the delivery to the population of 35,000. no prov gov every made it possible to do so.
..also have a friend from romania that couldn't believe how backward canada was when it came to internet. romanians have access to fibre which is much cheaper and faster than cable or adsl.
Sun, 2012-04-01 07:22
#23
I'm with Shaw now. And I'm still not a shareholder after forking out a lot of dough to them. No voting rights, no pension plan nothing. Just another renter helping them save up to be rich.
Sun, 2012-04-01 10:47
#24
We have an oligopoly in the Canadian market, a regulator stacked with hacks from the telco and infotainment industries and a government that appoints the hacks. The game is rigged and that's why telecom is so backward in Canada. It's there to suck the maximum amount of money out of people while investing as little as they can get away with in upgrading the infrastructure.
I am without cable right now and will be forever since Rogers is the cable provider and they royally pissed me off with their callous excuse for "customer service" a few years ago. I've gone with putting up a TV antenna and have a digital/analog converter box I picked up for $35...that gives me all the free to air local and semi-local TV stations. I've also hooked up an old GNU/Linux computer with a VGA/composite video converter picked up for $30 and use that for online video and any video I have stored on my home network.
My internet service from Bell Canada is unlimited but overpriced and slow. When I get a little less busy and get organized I'll dump them for a re-seller like TekSavvy.
..i totally agree with your take on why canada is backward re the internet. it's all about fleecing the public.
..a few years ago i had a run in with telus (a vicious corp) over it's labour practices. at that point i had already built up a strong dislike towards them so cut my ties forever no matter what package they could offer me. tried bell as well but didn't like them any better. shaw seems the best of a bad bunch, not that that is saying anything, and so far doesn't look to closely at band usage.i expect that to change sooner or later.