“A victory by Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 election could usher in an abrupt change in the nation’s telecommunications policy, restoring so-called net neutrality regulation,” Bloomberg recently reported: Biden hasn’t talked much about the FCC during the campaign, but his party’s platform is specific. It calls for restoring net neutrality rules put in place under then-President Barack Obama when Biden…
Tag: data caps
AT&T Finally Stops Selling DSL
“One of America’s largest internet providers is uploading its oldest broadband technology into the sunset,” reports USA Today, complaining that AT&T will be leaving some future customers without any choices for wired broadband. “We’re beginning to phase out outdated services like DSL and new orders for the service will no longer be supported after October 1,” a corporate statement sent beforehand…
Data Caps On AT&T, Comcast, T-Mobile Will Return June 30
An anonymous reader quotes a report from PCWorld: Major Internet service providers are scheduled to end their quarantine benefits soon, once again subjecting Americans to data caps and removing protections if they are unable to pay their bills. The FCC’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge is set to expire on June 30. Companies initially agreed to the pledge and rushed to add…
Charter Seeks FCC Permission to Impose Data Caps and Charge Fees to Video Services
“Charter Communications has asked federal regulators for permission to impose data caps on broadband users and to seek interconnection payments from large online video providers, starting next year,” writes Ars Technica. Long-time Slashdot reader Proudrooster shares their report:
Charter, unlike other ISPs, isn’t allowed to impose data caps and faces limits on charges for interconnection payments because of conditions applied to its…
The Average Household Will Surpass ISP’s 1TB Data Caps Within 3 Years, Study Finds
According to an analysis from Decision Data, the average broadband-connected U.S. household will surpass current 1TB ISP data caps before 2024. What this could translate to is more overage fees for customers, unless ISPs like Comcast and CenturyLink abandon data caps or continue to waive fees, like some are doing due to the pandemic. From the report: As we reported this…
Coronavirus Could Force ISPs To Abandon Data Caps Forever
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: The coronavirus threat and official policies of “social distancing” are leading millions to stay home, doing meetings via video chat and probably watching Netflix and YouTube the rest of the time. That means a big uptick in bytes going through the tubes, both simultaneously and cumulatively. ISPs, leery of repeating Verizon’s memorable gaffe…
FCC Funds 25Mbps, Data-Capped Satellite In Rural Areas
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: The Federal Communications Commission is giving $87.1 million in rural-broadband funding to satellite operator Viasat to help the company lower prices and raise data caps. The FCC’s Connect America Fund generally pays ISPs to expand their networks into rural areas that lack decent home Internet access. Viasat’s satellite service already provides coverage…
Bernie Sanders Unveils $150 Billion Plan To Expand High-Speed Internet Access
On Friday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) announced a new plan aimed at expanding broadband internet access across the country and dismantling what he referred to as “internet and cable monopolies.” From a report: In his sweeping “High-Speed Internet for All” proposal, Sanders calls for broadband to be considered a public utility, much like electricity, and calls access “a basic human right.”…