Maybe it points out the flaw in current regulatory thinking that ISPs are giant evil monopolies that need heavy regulation, but Silicon Valley is a bunch of small innovative companies and if you don’t like Google or Facebook, you can just switch to a different social media or search provider with policies more to your liking.
But what if Google/Alphabet is also an ISP? And perhaps a disruptive ISP that becomes a monopoly in certain cities because its main goal isn’t profit? I am really hoping Alphabet’s new focus on each business unit standing on its own feet will apply to Google Fiber, so it gets run like an actual business, not an experiment. Just like Facebook becoming an ISP (although probably not in the US) should raise all sorts of Open Internet questions. I think a similar question could be asked about companies that get CAF subsidies, possibly forcing out any unsubsidized competition and becoming a de facto monopoly. Should they be prohibited from requiring customers to sign away their legal rights, like going to court, or participating in class action suits? I’m not a big fan of class action suits though. Seems like a scam to make certain law firms (that specialize in filing class action suits) rich. I assume these contracts don’t preclude filing complaints with the FCC. It will be interesting to see if the FCC starts doing anything more than forwarding complaints to the ISP, now that the DC Court has ruled in their favor. I also wonder, with the FCC classifying ISPs as telecommunications providers, if the states will try to regulate them as utilities or common carriers. I’m not clear on the current legal situation. I think that would open up the state public utility commissions as a venue where customers could seek remedies, but it also seems they are pretty toothless now, probably because their powers have been preempted by the feds. From: Josh Reynolds Sent: Saturday, June 18, 2016 12:30 PM To: [email protected] Cc: Principal WISPA Member List Subject: Re: [AFMUG] More gotchas from Google Fiber Although I don't disagree this is "bad", this is no different than any other major ISP in the United States. I don't see how this is a "gotcha" as far as the ISP landscape goes. On Jun 18, 2016 8:11 AM, "Rory Conaway" <[email protected]> wrote: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2016/06/like-comcast-google-fiber-now-forces-customers-into-arbitration/ Rory Conaway • Triad Wireless • CEO 4226 S. 37th Street • Phoenix • AZ 85040 602-426-0542 [email protected] www.triadwireless.net “The winner ain’t the one with the fastest car, it’s the one who refuses to lose.” – Dale Earnhardt
