Wires...

Wires

I love the Internet...

We just discovered our washing machine freaking out. I’m not one to be flummoxed by technical/mechanical problems (Thanks Mom and Mike!)1 After some probing and noting of what seemed to be error codes, I turned to the Internet. Within a few minutes I’d found that hidden behind the fabric softener tray a green fishing line is tucked away. When pulled it will release the door lock on our front loader.

This information was not found on the manufacturers web site (although it might be there) instead I found it on an appliance repair discussion group. A community of people who fix their own stuff (or at least try to.)

The Internet is a living encyclopedic environment where data and people mingle. Don’t get me wrong, I do not believe in the Nirvanic Internet. Where there is people and data there can be shit and stepping in it. But, if you feel like I do that the majority of people are good and have good intentions... Then the Internet can truly be, as it’s been, a liberating mechanism that provides a means for people to span great distances and share knowledge and organize.

The Internet is as we know it...

Our system of tubes has one weak spot and that’s what is considered “the last mile." It can also be described as "from the alley pole to your home." This “last mile” is dominated by a few major players. Your incumbent Bell company and your cable provider. So you have two options.2

There’s an innocent reason why there’s so few providers and here’s a simplified explanation: In the early days of telephone, competing companies made a mess of our neighborhoods with their poles and wires. To solve that, private/public companies were created. In exchange for minimizing the number of wires strung up we allowed one company to provide the service. Government also created rules so that this one company couldn’t take advantage of their monopoly.

These companies have benefited greatly from the deregulatory orgy kicked off by the Reagan nightmare. So now we find ourselves with unregulated monopolies providing inferior service3

Not only do we get shitty service we get to pay two - three times more for it. And we’ll be paying more soon.

There’s a side show going on right now and that’s called Net Neutrality. There are good people who’ve been led into this side show tent who I believe have been suckered into a fight that’s a diversion from what we should really be fighting for: Nationalizing the last mile.

[please hold for the screeds: “You're a communist!” “You’re a conspiracy nut!” "You’re a fascist!"....   sorry for the delay]

Yes. Nationalize The Last Mile. Or at least regulate the shit out of it. The corporations that put in those lines have made huge profits. They’re investment paid off well.

They are so enamored with their profits that they don’t want to reinvest any of it to upgrade their now old and aging networks. Instead they want to squeal that the way we want to use our internet service is causing too much demand and someone (other than themselves) should pay for expanding capacity.4

So I say, we create a non-profit infrastructure company that will manage the last mile and the head-ends5 where space can be leased at competitive prices to companies that want to provide access to our homes. In this scenario we can invest our money into running fiber (think of the jobs!) to our homes and have huge tubes in order to get whatever information we want.

To those “free marketeers” who will bemoan my call for public seizure of “private” property, I say you're either a stooge or hypocrite. The Internet is more than a consumer product in our society. By creating a publicly controlled environment that allows for multiple private companies (of all sizes) access to sell their services to our homes, then we as a citizenry our creating a free market. As it stands we are not in a free market. We are in a market that is run by an oligopoly out to suck us dry of our money and.... to be continued.

 

1 Both my Mom (a metalsmith) and Mike (parenting step-dad and all around craftsman) put tools in my hands at an early age. But for those of you who’ve not had the privilege to grow up with a shop in the house, the real secret is, don’t be afraid! Don’t be intimidated. Look for the information that is being presented to you (and good forbid!!! don’t hit “cancel”, “No”, or “yes” until you’ve read the window if there’s a computer involved.... BTW most of your home appliances are computers now. They will blink codes at you.... notice them. At the very least, if you do need to hire a pro you can have some confidence that you will be able to know if they are being straight with you. [back]

2 In some markets there’s less in some there might be a wireless provider whose quality of service is dependent on your proximity to their tower. [back]

3 “European regulators require France Telecom and other companies to lease lines to competitors, Reynolds said. Seven providers vie over the single line into his home west of Paris, where Reynolds pays about $37 a month for unlimited phone, 150 television channels and Internet downloads at 20 megabits a second. In the U.S., where competitors lay their own lines to homes, the average broadband download speed is 4 megabits per second, according to the FCC. Comcast, the largest U.S. cable operator, charges at least $130 [$190 in Chicago-mh] for unlimited U.S. phone calls, more than 200 video channels and speeds of 12 megabits a second in its home market of Philadelphia.” source: US vs. world in Net speed  [back]

4 Where they have had no problem spending there profits has been on lobbyists. That too has paid off in FCC regulation that’s tepid at best. The last mile carriers, lead by Comcast have demanded the right to put up toll booths and charge major service providers (such as Netflix) This has been the central fight of the Net Neutrality warriors. More info: You're Going to Pay   [back]

5 The head end is at the other end of the cable that runs to your house. In Chicagoland, AT&T have around 88 switching offices. [back]