The FCC Has Been Surrounded by Corporate Lobbyists for Too Long, Now It’s Our Turn

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/fcc-has-been-surrounded-corporate-lobbyists-too-long-now-its-our-turn



Last week we wrote about the importance of taking action to save the Internet. The Chairman of the FCC, Tom Wheeler, is proposing new rules that will be great for Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon, but terrible for the rest of us. The FCC has been surrounded by corporate lobbyists for too long, now we must make our voices heard.

On Wednesday, we decided that we had to follow our own advice and take stronger action. After a kick-off rally at noon in front of the FCC, we set up an encampment next to the Maine Ave, SW doors of the FCC. We are taking action each day to push the people’s interest in a free, open and equal Internet. These next few days leading up to the meeting of the FCC Commissioners on the May 15 are a critical time for us to set the agenda and protect the public interest.

Help us surround FCC with people who love the Internet and understand the importance of keeping it open. Before May 15 when the FCC holds its next Open Meeting, citizen pressure needs to continue to build to demand reclassifying the Internet as a common carrier, putting into law net neutrality and removing all obstacles that prevent locally-controlled public Internet. Join us in DC, take action online or organize a protest at an FCC office in your community.

Immediate Impact Of The Encampment

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is already struggling to defend his proposal for new rules that will allow fast lane net discrimination by his corporate allies at Comcast, Verizon and AT&T - but we need to keep building the pressure to get the other FCC commissioners on our side and to return the Internet to its previous status as a public utility.

[Exposethefrauds]

1. Whomever has the gold will make the rules, we can and should contact the FCC

but unless we start buying politicians, our voice will not be heard and they do not care, why should they?

I know I am living with tiered internet access already, my only available provider, Comcast, starts internet pricing at $30 +tax and fees for the first 6 months for 3 Mps, $50 +tax and fees for 6 Mps also for 6 months, and $72 with the tax and fees for 25 Mps, they also have 105 Mps and 150 Mps which Start at $65 + tax and fees for 6 mos and it goes up, considerably from there. To get some of this pricing you also have to buy some of their other products too like tv. The other choice, if it really is a choice, is from the phone company, Fairpoint, and that costs about $50 + for a blazing max of 6 Mps.

I assume that pricing is set up in a similar fashion all over the country for internet access.

An open or closed internet is going to be pay to play, it is what he have today already, most just do not realize it.

[Enthusiast]

3. Within that 'pay to play' we want equal access.

Of course what we have now is pay to play. We mostly don't have a problem with that.

[Exposethefrauds]

4. Does equal access equate to equal speed?

I do not use site like Netflix or Hulu or play games across the internet which all create a high demand on the internet, why should those who do not use it have to pay for or any of the heavy users internet bandwidth?

I feel that those that want high use should have to pay for it, even if internet access were free for all. Because the internet is not unlimited in size or speed there has to be some gates to keep the few from screwing it up for the many. Everyone knows with anything a few people can screw it up for the many.

Everyone should have equal access at a determined speed above that both sides should have to pay extra, do I like it no not at all, but under our current form of government what we got is what we got until we have enough people in Congress who consider the internet as part of the commons and will give everyone equal access.

If we stay on our current path, we are going to see the creation of ISPs and networks that offer wicked fast service and access that only the top 10% of America will be able to afford and the rest of us will be stuck in the internet ghetto. It is where we are headed.

[Enthusiast]

2. I called to express my displeasure with the Chairman's position.

Displeasure I did express. I didn't exactly "go off" but I'm certain my anger came through loud and clear. I suppose my sentiments are typical of callers.

[pa28]

5. K&R!