GNG News Guy
03-06-2008, 10:44 AM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/90/13090.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/If-Comcast-Shares-Broadband-Deployment-Data-The-Terrorists-Win-92408)
Efforts to successfully map broadband deployment in this country have been fought tooth and nail (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/91641) by the largest providers. Carriers don't want deployment shortcomings and lack of competition highlighted because someone might actually do something about it and hurt revenue. Usually, the ISPs argue that they can't disclose deployment data because it poses a competitive threat; as if these giant providers don't already know precisely where a competitor offers service before investing billions in a new technology deployment (FTTH, FTTN, Terabyte Pigeons).
There's several laws being debated in Congress that would work on mapping and shoring up rural broadband deployment. One of them would require carriers to pony up this data so that the country could finally know precisely who offers service, where, and at what speed. Comcast, in opposition to this bill, this week insisted that they can't provide deployment data because terrorists could attack (http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1428):"9/11 wasn t that long ago. We don t want to make it easier for them to take out the network." He added that the legislation requiring fuller disclosure could point to where vital public safety resources were, particularly in the wireless network.
Good thing we have ham radio operators (http://www.thegng.org/forum/hamradio). Were the terrorists to attack, it's obvious their top target wouldn't be the Comcast cable network, but Comcast's recently acquired Fandango website (http://www.fandango.com/). Terrorists also really hate on-demand high-definition content.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/If-Comcast-Shares-Broadband-Deployment-Data-The-Terrorists-Win-92408)
Efforts to successfully map broadband deployment in this country have been fought tooth and nail (http://www.thegng.org/shownews/91641) by the largest providers. Carriers don't want deployment shortcomings and lack of competition highlighted because someone might actually do something about it and hurt revenue. Usually, the ISPs argue that they can't disclose deployment data because it poses a competitive threat; as if these giant providers don't already know precisely where a competitor offers service before investing billions in a new technology deployment (FTTH, FTTN, Terabyte Pigeons).
There's several laws being debated in Congress that would work on mapping and shoring up rural broadband deployment. One of them would require carriers to pony up this data so that the country could finally know precisely who offers service, where, and at what speed. Comcast, in opposition to this bill, this week insisted that they can't provide deployment data because terrorists could attack (http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1428):"9/11 wasn t that long ago. We don t want to make it easier for them to take out the network." He added that the legislation requiring fuller disclosure could point to where vital public safety resources were, particularly in the wireless network.
Good thing we have ham radio operators (http://www.thegng.org/forum/hamradio). Were the terrorists to attack, it's obvious their top target wouldn't be the Comcast cable network, but Comcast's recently acquired Fandango website (http://www.fandango.com/). Terrorists also really hate on-demand high-definition content.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/If-Comcast-Shares-Broadband-Deployment-Data-The-Terrorists-Win-92408)