As I said in the previous post, net neutrality easily overshadowed whatever
else our FCC Chairman had to say, in Barcelona. But, stubborn as ever...
"... while simply returning internet regulations to a state that existed for
almost two decades."
Again with this lie. What existed prior was access through mandated-neutral
telephone lines. At the time, it was clear that the telcos did not like this
state of affairs, for the very same reason that the broadband providers today
don't like it. They want full control of what transits their wires. But because
of telecom neutrality mandates, the Internet flourished.
If the telco, or the local cable company, had been the only ISP choice, we
would have had a balkanized system of AOLs and Compuserves, package deals on
approved web sites, price tiers, blocking of sources, and generally
*everything* the MVPDs had been doing for decades. Maybe the Chairman (and the
brainless yes-men who chant with him) is really that clueless that he doesn't
understand his own business. The proof is in the pudding. Abuses began to
happen almost right away, after broadband and consequent ISP monopolies became
the rule. He stubbornly ignores these facts.
"But Pai stuck to his guns. Saying that there 'had been a fair bit of
misinformation' about the decision, he noted that the FCC would continue to be
vigilant and act against any network abuses. 'This is light-touch regulation,'
he said. 'Nobody gets a free pass.'"
No one buys these lies, Chairman Pai. The handful of special interests get a
free pass. You own staffers explained this to you. All these handful of
companies have to do is tell people how they are being screwed. Just as they
have done for decades, with their MVPD packages. "You get what we say you get,
we block what we want to block, end of story."
Nobody buys your nonsense, Chairman. You stubborn cluelessness is truly
overwhelming.
Bert
--------------------------------------------
https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/26/fcc-chair-ajit-pai-defends-net-neutrality-repeal-to-skeptical-european-audience/
FCC Chair Ajit Pai defends net neutrality repeal to skeptical European audience
Chris O'Brien@obrien February 26, 2018 10:04 AM
In one of his most high-profile appearances since the killing of net neutrality
rules last year, the chief U.S. telecom policy regulator insisted the move was
widely misunderstood and would promote more internet freedom.
Speaking at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, FCC chair Ajit Pai, while
avoiding using the term "net neutrality" in his prepared remarks, insisted the
move would still allow for oversight of telecom carriers while simply returning
internet regulations to a state that existed for almost two decades.
"The bottom line is that we had a free and open internet for two decades before
2015," he said. "We we will have a free and open internet going forward."
Pai had previously been scheduled to deliver a keynote at CES in early January,
but canceled after receiving death threats. But MWC, officially a gathering of
the world's largest telecom carriers, who tend to be against net neutrality,
offered a somewhat friendlier venue.
Still, Pai spoke just after Andrus Ansip, the European Commissioner for Digital
Single Market, who stoutly defended the need for net neutrality to ensure open
and equal access.
"I do not want a digital motorway for a lucky few while some others use a
digital dirt track," Ansip said. "Access to the internet is a right. It has to
be open to everyone."
But Pai stuck to his guns. Saying that there "had been a fair bit of
misinformation" about the decision, he noted that the FCC would continue to be
vigilant and act against any network abuses. "This is light-touch regulation,"
he said. "Nobody gets a free pass."
Pai said his confidence in making the move was based on the results of the
rules prior to 2015. "We had a market-based approach to regulation that gave us
an internet economy that was the envy of the world," he said.
He said the country's wireless market remains hyper-competitive, and said it
was necessary to keep it that way to encourage infrastructure investments in
new services like 5G networks. As evidence, he cited the ubiquitous wireless
advertising on television.
"If you don't believe this market place is competitive, try watching the
commercials shown during a typical hour of American television," he said.
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