xyzzy 's BestNetTech Comments

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  • On the post: Last Minute Addition To Louisiana Bill Hamstrings Community Broadband

    xyzzy ( profile ), 30 May, 2020 @ 07:12am

    AT&T no more

    Here in the benighted state of North Carolina we have had such restrictive regulations since 2011, see https://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H129v7.pdf

    Now we are fighting to obtain some relief. Since early 2019 a bill, known as the Fiber NC Act see https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2019/H431 has been under consideration, it has met with the predictable industry FUD and is stalled. Even if that makes it through, it is hamstrung with various restrictions.

    I am fortunate enough to live in an urban area, with some modicum of broadband competition, I had a choice of two, Spectrum and AT&T, but now three as Google Fiber are in the mix. I am much more fortunate than large swathes of this state.

    AT&Ts monthly rate was $100, Google $70, however, I noted that AT&T applied a "special discount" that meant they were effectively matching the Google price. I can see that discount going away real soon, were it not for Googles continued presence.

    As soon as I could, I dropped AT&T, and moved to Google. Good riddance AT&T.

  • On the post: Moderation v. Discretion v. Censorship: They're Not The Same

    xyzzy ( profile ), 29 May, 2020 @ 10:18am

    I didn't know that

    Does that mean I don't have to pay taxes? Seriously though, thanks for pointing that out, I was not aware, and the discussions around the decision make for a good read. I really have no idea how I missed this.

  • On the post: If You're Reporting On Trump's Supposed Plans For 'Anti-Conservative Bias' Panel, Shouldn't You Mention The 1st Amendment?

    xyzzy ( profile ), 26 May, 2020 @ 02:24pm

    Why have an 'Anti-Conservative Bias' Panel

    I really doubt this new panel has anything to do with actually changing the behavior of targeted platforms. My take is this is a cynical political move to try to persuade potential voters, already right of center, to assume that if such a panel exists it must be with just cause, "No Smoke Without Fire" sentiment rules the day.

    I think the hoped for consequence is that perfectly reasonable, even persuasive speech, will be further relegated to "outside my echo chamber" thus reducing the chances of any erosion of support for this President, and of course his lackeys in Congress.

  • On the post: Google Fiber Ditches Cable TV While Broadband Effort Remains Stuck In Neutral

    xyzzy ( profile ), 19 Feb, 2020 @ 07:00am

    First gear

    Coincidentally, I spent the last couple of days watching Google subcontractors running brand new fiber into my neighborhood, so maybe stuck in first gear is a better analogy. It seems that in "supported" areas like ours (Raleigh-Durham) the actual coverage is very far from complete, but, they do continue to "fill in the gaps". By adding more cities, they would, in some sense, fall even further behind. I suspect they drastically underestimated the time and costs of what they had already committed to, but at least here, they have not stopped completely.

  • On the post: Google Fiber Ditches Cable TV While Broadband Effort Remains Stuck In Neutral

    xyzzy ( profile ), 19 Feb, 2020 @ 07:00am

    First gear

    Coincidentally, I spent the last couple of days watching Google subcontractors running brand new fiber into my neighborhood, so maybe stuck in first gear is a better analogy. It seems that in "supported" areas like ours (Raleigh-Durham) the actual coverage is very far from complete, but, they do continue to "fill in the gaps". By adding more cities, they would, in some sense, fall even further behind. I suspect they drastically underestimated the time and costs of what they had already committed to, but at least here, they have not stopped completely.