Octopus Overlords

This map shows the 4G LTE mobile coverage areas of the nation’s four largest mobile wireless carriers: AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile, UScellular, and Verizon. Specifically, it shows where customers can expect to receive 4G LTE broadband service at a minimum user download speed of five megabits per second (5 Mbps) and a user upload speed of one megabit per second (1 Mbps) based on propagation modeling.

The map includes separate layers for each carrier’s broadband and voice coverage. Voice coverage areas represent where customers should expect to make and receive mobile voice calls and send and receive texts over the 4G LTE network, without regard to throughput speed. 4G LTE data service meeting a 5/1 Mbps minimum speed may not be available in areas where only voice coverage is shown on the map.

Three companies accused of falsifying millions of public comments to support the contentious 2017 federal repeal of net neutrality rules have agreed to pay $615,000 in penalties to New York and other states, New York's attorney general said Wednesday.

The penalties come after an investigation by the New York state Office of the Attorney General found the fake comments used the identities of millions of consumers, including thousands of New Yorkers, without their knowledge.

“No one should have their identity co-opted by manipulative companies and used to falsely promote a private agenda," said New York Attorney General Letitia James in an announcement Wednesday.

Two of the California-based companies, LCX Digital Media and digital marketing company Lead ID, LLC., were hired by the broadband industry to enroll consumers in a campaign to support repeals to Obama-era net neutrality rules. Instead, they each independently fabricated responses for 1.5 million consumers. The third, marketing company Ifficient Inc., supplied more than 840,000 fake responses.

Five major trade groups representing US broadband providers petitioned the FCC in January to scrap the requirement before it takes effect. In June, Comcast told the FCC that the listing-every-fee rule "impose[ s ] significant administrative burdens and unnecessary complexity in complying with the broadband label requirements."

The five trade groups kept up the pressure earlier this month in a meeting with FCC officials and in a filing that complained that listing every fee is too hard. The FCC refused to bend, announcing yesterday that the rules will take effect without major changes.

"Every consumer needs transparent information when making decisions about what Internet service offering makes the most sense for their family or household. No one wants to be hit with charges they didn't ask for or they did not expect," FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said.

YellowKing wrote: ↑Fri Sep 01, 2023 4:23 pm It's because they have consumers over a barrel and they know it. Tons of people don't have a choice of ISP.

When I canceled Spectrum to go to AT&T I actually had a Spectrum manager ask me why I was switching. I told him because I could get a year for about 70% cheaper than what he was charging. He said, "Well they're just going to keep going up on you at the end of your promotional period. We all do it."

I think about that "we all do it" line a lot. So you admit you're a crooked piece of shit that exploits loyal customers by having them subsidize new customers. Thanks for the confirmation.

Netflix weighed in on the network neutrality debate this week, holding that new FCC rules are necessary in order to keep a watchful eye on broadband operators that have affiliated pay-TV or content services that compete directly with "independent" streamers.

A prime example that Netflix cited in reply comments filed Wednesday (January 17) was Peacock's exclusive stream (outside of the local Miami and Kansas City TV markets) of the AFC Wild Card game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs on January 13.

According to FCC data from December 2022, an estimated 45 million Americans “lack access to both 100/20Mbps fixed service and 35/3Mbps mobile 5G-NR service.”

As part of Thursday’s vote, the FCC also adopted a long-term goal of raising its broadband metric to 1,000Mbps for downloads and 500Mbps for uploads. Rosenworcel added: “Millions of people in rural, urban and Tribal communities still do not have the broadband they need to fully participate in modern life. We are working on it."

However, the two Republican Commissioners dissented in Thursday’s vote. Commissioner Brendan Carr noted that satellite internet services, such as SpaceX’s Starlink, don’t qualify for the speed benchmarks, which only considers ground-based internet.

Commissioner Nathan Simington added that it makes sense to disregard older satellite internet services, but not Starlink, which already provides high-speed internet across the country.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 11:20 am Bout time. Should have been 100 years ago.

stessier wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 2:06 pm I agree with the FCC's new definitions and forward looking plan (because by the time they actually get there, it will likely be needed), but many people likely over-estimate just how fast their internet needs to be.

gilraen wrote:Got an email from Comcast yesterday that they are increasing our internet speeds. The package that I'm paying for was originally listed as 400/35, and they upped it to 500/100. For my use, there's no discernible difference between 400 and 500 mbps download. I'd rather they get rid (or at least increase) the monthly data cap. /fml

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 2:07 am FCC Officially Raises Minimum Broadband Metric From 25Mbps to 100Mbps

According to FCC data from December 2022, an estimated 45 million Americans “lack access to both 100/20Mbps fixed service and 35/3Mbps mobile 5G-NR service.”

As part of Thursday’s vote, the FCC also adopted a long-term goal of raising its broadband metric to 1,000Mbps for downloads and 500Mbps for uploads. Rosenworcel added: “Millions of people in rural, urban and Tribal communities still do not have the broadband they need to fully participate in modern life. We are working on it."

However, the two Republican Commissioners dissented in Thursday’s vote. Commissioner Brendan Carr noted that satellite internet services, such as SpaceX’s Starlink, don’t qualify for the speed benchmarks, which only considers ground-based internet.

Commissioner Nathan Simington added that it makes sense to disregard older satellite internet services, but not Starlink, which already provides high-speed internet across the country.

disarm wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:01 pm Same...plan that was 250/10 when I selected it is now 500/100 at the same cost ($95/month). There was a time when I would have killed for that kind of upload speed, but my torrenting days are behind me and it's not that useful now.

Blackhawk wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 3:04 pm The people who live in the kinds of places that would need Starlink in order to meet the minimums can't afford Starlink. To get Starlink that meets their minimum (100/20) would cost $140/month with decreased speed after only 40GB of data, and would require $2,500+ in equipment fees.