NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Re: Report shows history of industry efforts to suppress broadband data collection
I would argue that the nature of Internet access services generally is such that without considerable detailed and accurate knowledge of subscribers numbers and usage patterns it is essentially impossible for any outside entity to make a reasonable, unbiased assessment of whether or not ISPs are honestly and appropriately serving their customers. In the water and power industries, for example, any shortages would be immediately noticed by customers (My lights keep going dim! My water pressure is suddenly terrible!) But with Internet access services, even the "normal" delivered bandwidth can vary so greatly for any given subscriber that it becomes relatively easy for ISPs to under-provision in manners that can be difficult or impossible for customers to reasonably detect and understand -- especially given the prevalence of "up to this speed" service descriptions. --Lauren-- NNSquad Moderator - - - On 03/13 18:39, Michael Turk wrote: > I fully agree that network management practices should be more > transparent. Power companies carefully guard information about their > customers, too - especially in states like Virginia where you can > choose competing power companies. > > But their infrastructure data is also provided to the Department of > Energy - which is a national security agency, unlike the FCC. > Classified data in such agencies gets a level of protection well above > what the FCC could/would afford it. Even so, DOE and its assets have > a reputation for leaking classified intelligence like a sieve. > > But either way, that I am aware of, nobody has asked power companies > to provide lists of customers, the amount of their monthly bill, and > how often power surges cause the lights to flicker. What is aked of > ISPs is a level of granularity that should make everyone nervous. > > The point about newspapers is they provide circulation numbers, and > that's it. That's closer to the utility model that discloses where > lines and physical infrastructure are located, but leaves customer and > competitive intelligence alone. > > > [ As much as I honor the newspaper industry and consider it to be > a very important part of society, I can't help but consider its > situation vis-a-vis that of ISPs, in terms of any "critical > infrastructure" considerations, to be utterly orthogonal. > > -- Lauren Weinstein > NNSquad Moderator ] > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: "Michael Turk" <turk@kungfuquip.com> > Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:30:27 > To: Lauren Weinstein<lauren@vortex.com>; <nnsquad-bounces+turk=kungfuquip.com@nnsquad.org>; <nnsquad@nnsquad.org> > Subject: [ NNSquad ] Re: Report shows history of industry efforts > to suppressbroadband data collection > > Delivering the news is a critical service in society. Has anyone demanded that the Washington Post provide a detailed map of all of its customers and advertisers, along with specific information on what they pay, the length of their subscription, the terms of their ad contracts, and specific guarantees for what time the paper will be delivered. > The data represents competitive intelligence in a business that brings in billions of dollars a year. It's being requested by a government that, as you just pointed out, has proven too inept to give away free money. > Is it any wonder they would fight handing it over to an agency ill-prepared to protect it? ------Original Message------From: Lauren WeinsteinSender: nnsquad-bounces+turk=kungfuquip.com@nnsquad.orgTo: nnsquad@nnsquad.orgSubject: [ NNSquad ] Report shows history of industry efforts to suppressbroadband data collectionSent: Mar 13, 2010 9:44 AM > > [ If we accept the premise (as I certainly do) that ISP access > services are increasingly a critical infrastructure, it's hard to > see how competitive concerns can be allowed to completely > override the public interest in assuring that these access > services are appropriately and fairly configured and managed. We > don't permit power utilities to keep their important > configurations secret from regulators, nor do we allow nuclear > plant builders to keep crucial aspects of their designs secret > from government to protect their commercial interests. > > -- Lauren Weinstein > NNSquad Moderator ] > > > > ----- Forwarded message from David Farber <dave@farber.net> ----- > Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2010 09:56:36 -0500From: David Farber <dave@farber.net>Subject: [IP] Report shows history of industry efforts to suppress broadband data collectionReply-To: dave@farber.netTo: ip <ip@v2.listbox.com> > > > Begin forwarded message: > From: dewayne@warpspeed.com (Dewayne Hendricks)Date: March 12, 2010 5:08:10 PM ESTTo: Dewayne-Net Technology List <xyzzy@warpspeed.com>Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Report shows history of industry efforts to suppress broadband data collection > Report shows history of industry efforts to suppress broadband data collectionBy Cecilia KangWashington Post > Days before the Federal Communications Commission presents proposals to bring broadband Internet connections to all U.S. homes, a report shows that major Internet service providers have worked to keep meaningful data on the subject suppressed. > In “Industry Lobby Keeps Public in the Dark About Broadband,” John Dunbar, director of American University’s Investigative Reporting Workshop, details a history of industry efforts to prevent regulators from getting information to map what homes are getting service, the prices they pay and the speeds that they are offered. > <http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/03/report_shows_history_of_indust.html>RSS Feed: <http://www.warpspeed.com/wordpress> > > > > -------------------------------------------Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/247/=nowRSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/247/Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com > ----- End forwarded message ----- > >