Peter, your intended meaning for the word...and what I assumed you meant, were pretty much the same. I am not "offended" by it, so no worries.
You stated something that I was hoping you'd reveal... it goes something like this, the regulators are in pursuit of "control or cooperation". I'd like to point out that there's no "cooperation", really. Oh, a little. They meet and play politely, but nowhere in this mess do we have a veto over ANYTHING they propose to demand. All couched in nice language, but it's still the man with the gun saying "do it or die". And, as you rightly point out, somewhere down this road, comes a point of confrontation. When the FCC realizes that the great majority simply will not comply... or, perhaps, cannot, or even more obtusely, don't even know or care, these two trains are headed head on down the same track, in opposite directions. I dunno what it's going to look like, I don't know how public it will be, but the nature of regulators is to take out non-compliance. The question is then, who will WISPA, EFF, etc, etc, stand with? Court fights between the FCC and FBI and DOJ, etc, aside, the rubber meets the road when the deadlines arrive, and I suspect that the vast majority of networks that are supposed to be compliant are not. Then what? As you know, WISPA reprepresents under 200 actual members. Part 15 has no huge number either. At that point, does the FCC start shutting down THOUSANDS of networks? If the industry associations take their side... Yes. And when or if Part 15 or WISPA takes the side of taking people down... Exactly what do you think their future growth will be? This is going to get ugly, people. It's going to get REAL ugly, because I don't think that WISPA will be able to remain on the fence. I know where Bullitt stands. He's already publicly threatened to destroy non-compliant people. I told him what I thought of that, and that's why I have a "consultant of the year" plaque on my wall signed by him, but am banned from everything Part-15. It was his stand that he was going to employ people to search out WISP's and report non-filers. I dunno if he did or not. This is why I posted about whether our industry is going to thrive or die. The FCC or FBI or whomever, is going to ask everyone to help enforce. If that means putting people out of business, will WISPA do it? I'm not asking this to incite an argument with the list members and the board, I'm pointing out that there's coming a point where there's a NO WIN situation coming. And, it might NOT be over CALEA. It might be the next thing to come down the pike. Should WISPA engage in helping members help authorities in lawful pursuit of criminals? Oh, absolutely. So far, WISPA is sitting the fence. "We don't police the industry". But what will be the response when the FCC asks them to? I would suggest the board at present and the soon to be elected board members consider this now. I'm not even suggesting one way or the other. I'm no longer a member of WISPA, though I strongly support the notion and value of a trade organization for WISP's. I would guess from the response, we all see the need for MORE, not less WISP's in our country, and we need growth in our industry. What will be the response when WISPA is asked to undertake or support enforcement actions that reduce the numbers and place barrriers to entry into the WISP business? As you stated... WE ARE COWBOYS. That's because that's who is always the forefront of any industry. The intrepid, the gutsy, the indedpendent, the stubborn, and willful. And I can predict without any hesitation that a majority, perhaps not of WISPA members, but of the non-allied network operators will not be so easily corralled into compliance. Not because what they need is wrong, but because it's wrong for the government to do what it's trying to do, place mandates on us for purely it's own convenience. The choices now will have a huge influence on the future. No matter which way the twig is bent, the tree starts that way and reversing course will NOT be without pain, cost and consequence. No matter which way WISPA goes, it will cause grief, pain, and consequences. There's NO WINNING this one. There's no side to choose to come out smelling like a rose. I suspect you all know what the stand would be should i be in charge. But either way, the sooner leadership gets on a side, and stands by it with whatever principles they choose to uphold, the better. Yeah, I think we should have addresssed this long ago. But there's another important decision by the feds to make.. and that is what kind of enforcement... Enough fight from the industry, and they WILL change their minds. As you so clearly stated, DC is a land of linguine spines. Expedience is king. That's why the FCC dumped CALEA on us in the first place. No stomach for the fight. Now, what will we do? You imply that in order to win their way, the feds are willing to take us all out. You used 2K as the number of operators, and 400 that comply. that's 400 vs 1600, and that the 1600 will "take down" the 400. How? What's the strategy? Ban wireless ISP's? Is that not counterproductive to EVERYTHING they have claimed they're for? But this argument isn't really about CALEA, Peter. I'm merely pointing out that if we choose to run down that road... it's a LOT farther back when the next thing pops up. And either we're going to start advocating shamelessly and boldly for ALL our industry... Or we might as well fold up shop and go home. I don't think there's a "picking and choosing" option later. Once you choose to support something that hurts some of your industry in the name of "cooperation", then you're pretty much committed to that action and WISPA will see it enforce it's own industry's stagnation and perhaps demise, and really have no choice in the matter. Maybe it has no choice as the board sees it now. That's not my view, but again, I'm not in charge. And lastly, you keep talking about someone has to do something, it takes numbers, not a lone voice. Uhhh, if I don't succeed in rallying any WISP's to the idea, then what would be the point of anything else? Is not THIS the starting point? Is not THIS the place to have the discussion? Attacking WISPA from the outside, in my view would be a nasty thing to do, but if we were to argue this outside, it WOULD turn into that, and I think that would be absolutely WRONG. Just because I disagree with the driver of the bus, doesn't mean I want to blow the bus up. We need it. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter R." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "WISPA General List" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2007 7:40 AM Subject: Re: [WISPA] FCC Admits Mistakes In Measuring Broadband Competition > Mark, > > A well written piece. > > However, I think you miss my point: > > "Either we defend ourselves, and we defend the "cowboys" as Peter likes to > call people like me by rising in opposition to ANY regulatory garbage that > puts us under their thumb... Or we've just killed our whole industry." > > You talk about gov't wiping you out. And I agree. They will because they > can't get cooperation (or if you want to go to your extreme, gov't can't > maintain control). I could go on and on about the current Admin, what > is going on at the Hill, etc., but the differences you and I have over > CALEA is that you spent all your time moaning about it when the > questions coming up were "How do I get compliant?" > > There has been a 2 year battle over CALEA including in the courts. Where > was everyone then?? > ACE and EFF could have used some help. But you are looking to close the > barn door after the animals escaped. You can certainly fight CALEA - and > any other regulation you want - but many just want help complying, so > they can stay in business. > > I don't know when you last fought something in DC, but the whole > experience is so disgusting that I found myself never wanting to even > visit the area again. Liars and scumbags - the whole lot. Everyone up > there - even those sitting with you supposedly - have their own agenda. > And at any time will throw you under the bus to get their way. > > And I don't know why you take the term cowboy to be so offensive. If you > want to operate in an unregulated or uncontrolled manner, that's a > cowboy. People that pioneered the West were cowboys. You did your > pioneering and now that Broadband is main stream and the President has > proclaimed his BB Policy, you are entering the regulated world. > > As I explained to someone offlist, cowboy wasn't the best word to use, > but I could not come up with another word. But visually a guy sitting on > a plain pretty much alone with his livestock (business) is why it got > used. Other words were too strong. I just couldn't find a good word to use. > > Here's my main worry: About 400 of what we will call 2000 want to > comply and run their business. The other 1600 don't want to fill out > forms or be bothered, which is their prerogative but not their right. > But it is the 1600 that will take down the 400. > > Here's my main peeve: It's quite okay to stand up and oppose something, > but whistling in the wind does not get it done. Words are great, but > action (like all those people you said would get behind you) is > required. If you feel this strongly - and apparently you do because you > and I keep going back and forth on this with you being insulted and then > me being insulted - take some action. Don't write a missive. Go do > something. > > Meanwhile the deadline for compliance with CALEA is still May 14. (Did > you sign up for the Bearhill CALEA webinar?) > > Regards, > > Peter Radizeski > RAD-INFO, Inc. > 813.963.5884 > > -- > WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ -- WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] Subscribe/Unsubscribe: http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/
