Well done Brian some sense at last but I doubt if any politician is listening or even understands the REAL subject.<br><br>Our entire communications and economic growth future rests on how we develop our technology infrastructure but our industry has its nose and brain buried in the sand and as we tell more and more lies, just like Pinocchio, it gets deeper and deeper into ossification and immobility and our countries future bleeds down the drain<br>
<br>Lie Number 1 = There is no technological term rational for the terminology of Broadband and no standards exist to measure it - It was a term developed by the tel com industry as a marketing mantra to stick a Ferrari label on a tortoise and increase profit at no cost<br>
<br>Lie Number 2 = Internet speeds are shown as " mgb " on telcom and cable networks but storage and data is measured in MEGABYTES ( MGB ) which is 8 times bigger and so we have the only industry in the world that measures its product differently in how it stores and transmits it <a href="http://www.ideapete.com/megaBS.html">http://www.ideapete.com/megaBS.html</a><br>
<br>Lie Number 3 = Download speeds are often 8 to 10 times faster than upload speeds but this is totally ignored in marketing and contractual data information which only list hoped for download speeds<br><br>Lie Number 4 = There is no shortage of mainline fiber as tel-com and cable companies have deliberately kept 60% of the network dark and have purchased specific choke point networks to ensure no one else can use it<br>
<br>Sadly with Qwest's new owners we will be in for years of yack yack no action while our states and countries future deteriorates even further<br><br>In a tel-com conference speech nearly 10 years ago <a href="http://www.ideapete.com/leapfrog.html">http://www.ideapete.com/leapfrog.html</a> I finished up with this statement <br>
<i><br>I will close this way. Some time ago, in the fledgling US, there was a
man by the name of Patrick Henry. He made a speech known to all
Americans
that contained the words: “Give me liberty or give me death!” With
permission, if Patrick were alive today, in this state, in our
business,
he would use slightly different words: “Give me real connectivity
or <strong>we</strong> will give you death!” (metaphorically
speaking, US West / Qwest
/ WorldCom / ATT carrier companies et al., of course). </i><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><br><br>Change the names of companies that have withered and died and its perfectly appropriate today so maybe its a self fulfilling prophecy<br>
<br>( : ( : pete<br><br><br>-- <br>--------------------------------------<br>Peter Baston<br>IDEAS
business technology integration<br><a href="http://www.ideapete.com">www.ideapete.com</a><br>Cell:
505-690-3627<br>Mailto:<a href="mailto:pete@ideapete.com">pete@ideapete.com</a><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 3:30 PM, Harris, Brian <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:bharris@nmag.gov">bharris@nmag.gov</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">Indeed "broadband" is a slippery term. That's why, when we were litigating Qwest's 3rd "alternative form of regulation" (AFOR 3) I concentrated on "infrastructure to support high speed internet." We got the PRC to impose some additional investment requirements on Qwest.<br>
<br>I think it is time for an "infrastructure" discussion. Just like the water pipes and sewage lines, roads and pipeline safety, telecommunications infrastructure is an essential component of what we have come to call the "good life" in America. We need to start thinking of how we build and maintain such infrastructure, whether we can count 100% on the private sector to serve those least able to pay and if the market will achieve the goal of ubiquity such as we have we had with "plain old telephone service."<br>
<br>Under the old universal service policy approach to ubiquity this country fostered the growth of a voice telephony infrastructure that was second to none in the world. Starting with the '96 Telecom Act, when we relied 100% on "competition" to serve our needs the other countries started surpassing us both in terms of houses passed and sheer speed. However, given the state of the world I am not confident that there exists the political will to re-examine the '96 Act and fix it.<br>
<font color="#888888">
<br>Brian Harris<br>The views expressed herein are entirely his own! <br></font><div><div></div><div class="h5"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 2:25 PM, Tom Johnson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:tom@jtjohnson.com" target="_blank">tom@jtjohnson.com</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">The problem with essays/editorials like this is that they rarely define "broadband." For too long now, the FCC said it was 250kbytes (NB make sure one specifies BITES or BYTES) up and down. In fact, we need to join much of the so-called developing world like Japan and South Korea and set our initial target a 1gigabytes up and down .<br>
<br>-Tom Johnson<br>Santa Fe<br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div></div><div>On Thu, Jul 15, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Cummins, Kevin (Tom Udall) <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:Kevin_Cummins@tomudall.senate.gov" target="_blank">Kevin_Cummins@tomudall.senate.gov</a>></span> wrote:<br>
</div></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div><div></div><div>
<div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-US">
<div>
<div style="border-style: none none solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color windowtext; border-width: medium medium 1pt; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">FYI
only.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: medium none; padding: 0in;"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">Broadband Is Critical</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">By Terry Brunner</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);">USDA Rural Development State
Director for New Mexico</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> It goes
without saying that broadband-high speed Internet is changing the way Americans
live their lives. It's almost hard to remember how many of us got by without
it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> With access to
broadband, we can easily sell a car, rent an apartment, look for a job, read
the news or manage a business. The advantage of the broadband network is that
it can connect you to the rest of the world on your schedule, at your
convenience and almost anywhere — that is unless you live in rural
America. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> Today, too
few rural Americans take advantage of the opportunities broadband provides.
Only half of rural residents subscribe to broadband — compared to 65
percent nationwide — because too many communities in rural America don't
have adequate access to broadband infrastructure. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> Simply put,
building a broadband infrastructure is critical to creating jobs and economic
opportunity in rural America. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> With
investments in broadband we are fostering innovation and bringing America's
rural communities into the digital age. A young person doesn't have to move to
the nearest city to make a living. He or she can create, develop and run a business
at home, in rural America, and be successful. A young parent can work and raise
a family and still connect with business partners across the country or around
the world. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> With new or
enhanced broadband access, the door to economic growth is open. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> When
broadband access reaches into rural communities: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> •
Farmers and ranchers will have up-to-the-minute commodity and weather
information to make the best decisions for their operations; </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> •
Schools can expand limited course offerings through distance learning —
both advancing education and better preparing students to compete in the 21st
century economy; </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> • First
responders will have information they need to keep their communities safer; </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> • Rural
health care will improve, as medical specialists will be able to use
telemedicine to provide advanced diagnosis for patients or to consult with
colleagues at other hospitals. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> At the
Department of Agriculture, we are focused every day on creating thriving rural
communities where people want to live and raise families. We want every parent
and grandparent in rural America to be able to look their child or grandchild
in the eye and tell them their hometown has the economic opportunities to offer
them a bright future. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> The Obama
administration recently announced investment in 66 new Recovery Act broadband
projects nationwide, the second round of funding for broadband infrastructure
from President Obama's Recovery Act. Thirty-seven of these new projects will
help expand broadband access in rural America. These projects will not only
directly create more than 5,000 jobs up front, but spur economic development in
some of the nation's hardest-hit communities, creating jobs for years to come. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> These funds
will put people to work constructing new facilities, erecting towers to
transmit signals and high speed broadband services installed in homes,
businesses and community education, safety and public health centers. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> But the
investments also will foster long-term economic growth. The more than $7
billion provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help expand
broadband will benefit tens of millions of Americans and over 685,000
businesses, 900 health care facilities and 2,400 schools in all 50 states. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> We will see
the impact of broadband in rural New Mexico with several broadband projects
being funded. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> For example,
the Baca Valley Telephone Co. in Des Moines received a $1.6 million loan and
$1.5 million grant. The funding will expand fiber optics to Digital Subscriber
Line in rural northeastern New Mexico communities. The money will be used to
replace outdated deteriorating copper wire and low bandwidth microwave
transport systems in some areas, while providing new connectivity in others,
and enabling advanced, high-speed DSL service throughout the area. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);"> </span></p>
</div>
</div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>==========================================<br>J. T. Johnson<br>Institute for Analytic Journalism -- Santa Fe, NM USA<br><a href="http://www.analyticjournalism.com" target="_blank">www.analyticjournalism.com</a><br>
505.577.6482(c) 505.473.9646(h)<br><a href="http://www.jtjohnson.com" target="_blank">http://www.jtjohnson.com</a> <a href="mailto:tom@jtjohnson.com" target="_blank">tom@jtjohnson.com</a><br>
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