[opendtv] Re: Charter seeks FCC OK to impose data caps and charge fees to video services
- From: "Manfredi (US), Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2020 20:48:48 +0000
Monty Solomon posted:
Charter seeks FCC OK to impose data caps and charge fees to video services
Charter wants TWC merger conditions to expire in May 2021, two years early.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2020/06/charter-seeks-fcc-ok-to-impose-data-caps-and-charge-fees-to-video-services/
Predictable, disingenuous tripe, though. These logical gymnastics were already
tried in the past, and the Wheeler FCC justifiably decided, the only workable
solution is guaranteed neutrality of the broadband slice of spectrum.
Previously, the FCC had understood that the legacy MVPD service, and Internet
broadband service, were two different offerings, and should be treated
differently.
Charter seems to have difficulty understanding that the reason people buy their
broadband service, paying monthly fees corresponding to different speed
categories, **is** essentially 100% for Internet streaming. Arguably, it should
be Charter paying the large OTT services, for giving them this new business
model, on a silver platter.
Charter seems to ignore that indeed, the market has changed, and that it is to
promote these different technological evolutions, throughout history, that
postal and telecom services have forever been mandated to be neutral. These are
common carriers. The common carriers themselves, plus the consumers, benefit
from neutrality of the common carriers.
Charter's goal seems to be, force consumers backwards, to ca. 1980, where
network subscribers could obediently be limited to old fashioned, linear,
walled garden TV. Limit use of broadband for what, just email?
Data caps? Well, if this is to make more gradual the need for increasing
broadband speeds, give the consumers some control. For instance, allow
consumers to decide what streaming quality they agree to be limited to. This
could be less than their peak broadband service. A consumer who buys 1 Gbps
broadband service might be okay with limiting their streaming quality to SD or
ED, or even HD, as opposed to UHD. Problem solved.
If you leave it up to the genii at today's FCC, after the terms of the merger
expire for Charter, the FCC would tell them, "No problem. You want to revert
back to 1980, you are free to block any and all OTT service, with our blessing."
Bert
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