AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson spoke at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners summer meeting in Los Angeles, where he called his company's copper-based DSL broadband technology "obsolete."
This is a stunning admission from one of the nation's largest DSL providers. As AT&T focuses more and more on wireless and continues pushing its fiber-to-the-node services instead of faster fiber-to-the-home or even cable, it's leaving millions of Americans in the dust. And today its CEO just admitted as much. For many in rural areas DSL is the only option, and as of the end of AT&T's first quarter it still has roughly 10.2 million DSL subscribers. And it's not as if AT&T plans to continue upgrading all of its customers over to U-verse. Earlier this year, AT&T executive John Stankey told an investor conference that the company would likely halt its building plans after it brings the technology to about 55 percent to 60 percent of the homes it serves. Stankey also admitted that about 20 percent of the homes in AT&T's service area are "not a heavy emphasis for investment." But if DSL is "obsolete" as Stephenson says, then what about the Americans who are forced to rely on that as their only method of broadband access? From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sam Tetherow Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 2:52 PM To: WISPA General List Subject: Re: [WISPA] The Legislative Situation Is Dire But the issue is not that we can't compete in the market, but that the government is making it more lucrative for the bigger players to compete in our markets (and not providing those incentives to the smaller players). I currently compete against DSL, cable and cellular for over 80% of my subs, I don't need the government making it even easier for them. On 7/20/11 10:28 AM, Mark Nash wrote: I honestly don't think we're working with the government so much as we're working with the market. We are a bunch of Davids trying to play in a game that is dominated by Goliaths. I know how that bible fable goes so we don't need to get sidetracked on a lecture about how that story ended... My point is that our "market" has huge players affecting change and us small guys have been able to succeed to varying degrees BECAUSE we haven't been on the radar. Our government fully believes that the best-suited companies to deliver broadband to the masses are these bigger players, and I tend to agree with them. I've always considered myself a "niche" provider, and as soon as the nice becomes attractive to a company with real money, slow or fast, I will realize the inevitable decline of my wireless business. Not because of the government, but because of the market. For myself, this uphill battle is stress better left up to someone else. My business plans are to ride the wireless wave as long as I can, and venture into other businesses and make them valuable with the revenues generated by the wireless business. I just released the first version of my first iPhone/iPad game on Apple's App Store, for instance. I'm thinking of starting a landscaping business (not WORKING it, just owning it). I think a music/movie studio is in my future. Eggs in several baskets. That kind of thing. In the meantime, the wireless business has to be tended to and made everything it can be. On 7/19/2011 7:20 PM, RickG wrote: Mark, You just made my point, it appears to me that WISPA, many WISP's, and small business owners in general have done their best to work with the "system". And what rewards do we get for it? I dont know about you but the "system" is killing me! Mark my words, unless things change, the "system" that is beginning to fail us now will eventually totally fail us. Sorry for sounding so pessimistic but after watching our government at "work" after 35 years, the only thing positive is that it can change if we want it to but it's gonna be a long, hard fight. On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 11:56 AM, Mark Nash <[email protected]> wrote: You absolutely have a right to chase your dreams in this country, as opposed to other countries. But you have to temper yourself with the absolute fact that you belong to a system. Successful business owners either work within the system, or find a way around it. Do what you can, when you can, to affect change, but to try to wholesale uproot the system is going to cause you persistent pain and anguish. On 7/19/2011 8:15 AM, Andy Trimmell wrote: +1 From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of RickG Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2011 9:04 PM To: [email protected]; WISPA General List Subject: Re: [WISPA] The Legislative Situation Is Dire "it is Regulation (1996 Telecom Act) that allowed us (ISP's) to be able to go into the business of providing internet access and other communication services" With all due respect, it's exactly the mindset that government "allows" us to be in business that IS the problem. Telecom Act or no, regulation or no, there should be no question that we are allowed to make a living the way we want to regardless. On Sat, Jul 16, 2011 at 10:42 AM, Faisal Imtiaz <[email protected]> wrote: I am going to address your points backwards:- --------You wrote ------- And lastly, about the FCC, the last administration's appointees were advocates for free markets and for competition and deregulation. Not particularly effective ones, but at least they were not our enemy. The current administration's people at the FCC are IN NO WAY our friend, for any way, manner, or purpose, and everything they want is bad for us and the country. STop talking political party talking points, and get some reality. --------------------------------- We have been wireline ISP's first, since 2000, if you really believe what you wrote (above) then you are truly mis-informed... The simple facts are ... it is Regulation (1996 Telecom Act) that allowed us (ISP's) to be able to go into the business of providing internet access and other communication services ..... and it is THE DEREGULATION over the past 5 years, that has been KILLING the ISP's off. You forget, that if you don't have the ability to connect to other networks in a fair and equitable manner, you are not going to be able to continue in this business. Get a grip of reality and the full picture.. you are playing with a DUAL EDGE sword here... ---------------You wrote----------------- You seem to think that the answer is to find the right pol to influence and the right committee members to lobby and the right allies to obstruct X or advance Y, but those are expediency, not principle. They should be TACTICS to a principled purpose, one that will attract others, on the basis of its soundness and validity. ------------------------------------------------ Not sure where you are coming up with this from ...however each and every one has his own right to interpret the events . ------------You wrote ----------------------------- Additionally, I said absolutely NOTHING partisan. Not even ideological. It's simple straightforward business principles. Principle Numero Uno is "have the freedom to be in business", and there is nothing convoluted or difficult about that. ---------------------------------------------------- hehe.. when you start off a paragraph with "this administration" or do a follow up with "the previous administration".. that is as partisan as one can get.... I agree with your 'Principle Numero Uno', but you are harking at the wrong organization.. it is not in WISPA's charter or mission, maybe should be a member of the SBA association, or FISPA or COMPTEL ... but then again you will have to get your head straight about how the US Gov. has operated for the last 200 years.... WISPA's mission has been to address issues related to Wireless, (not business, not telephone service, not hosted services, etc etc)... While I understand your frustration with the Gov., and do agree with some of your points, but what you keep putting forward on the WISPA forums is more like 'Don Quixote Tilting at the windmills" Faisal Imtiaz Snappy Internet& Telecom On 7/16/2011 12:59 AM, MDK wrote: > A "plan of action"? If I said "this is what WISPA should do" and laid it > out in detail, all you'd do is say "who are you? Why should we hacve to do > what you say?" > > Frankly, I have no idea why you're having difficulty. You see, when you > have proper business principles as your guiding mechanism, what you should > do is crystal clear. Nobody needs to write out a plan of action, it > becomes self evident - you always advocate FOR the proper and best thing. > And, after being consistent, year after year, and when stuff like this comes > up, which becomes so blatantly obviously a result of failure to follow true > principle, again, nothing is obscure or difficult. > > Additionally, I said absolutely NOTHING partisan. Not even ideological. > It's simple straightforward business principles. Principle Numero Uno is > "have the freedom to be in business", and there is nothing convoluted or > difficult about that. > > You seem to be interested in mere expediency. That's what's gotten us to > this crisis point, the idea of managing the favoritism, the cronyism, etc, > to favor you, or at least not hurt you too much. That's what's BEEN going > on. Had we (WISPA) been looking for and actively seeking allies who would > with us, say with many voices, but one message - "hands off, and be a > steward of what's entrusted to you", I think the landscape would look > different. The word "steward" is loaded. It means one entrusted to manage > things for the benefit OF THE OWNER, that's us. The FCC and Congress are > managing for the benefit of the federal treasury and the donations to > campaigns - which is the polar opposite of managed for the good of the > people. > > In the previous post, I wrote an analogy, one where the city effectively > puts every service and business up for licensure at auction. It takes no > imagination at all to see that the city coffers and the winning bidder are > the beneficiaries and the people are the losers. Spectrum is a public or > national resource held in trust by the federal government. Auctions to the > highest bidder do not benefit anyone but the monopoly holder and the > treasury, by creating monopolies or very limited competition. Again, we as > consumers and businessmen are the losers. Imagine if there were enough > spectrum delegated so that if us WISP's wanted to be mobile broadband > providers we could, as well as cellular, or even video / audio broadcasters. > Instead, such services have been delegated a minute slice of available > spectrum, keeping up the price of the auctions - and the number of > competitors down. > > Why? It is in the interest of politicians to separate us from our money. > But their REAL job is to defend us keeping it. There are NOW myriad > political allies to spread this message, to change the discussion from "whom > to screw out of lots of money" to "what is the best policy for the people > and keep competition alive?" And, that's the message that is NOT being > advocated by WISPA, and it should be. > > You seem to think that the answer is to find the right pol to influence and > the right committee members to lobby and the right allies to obstruct X or > advance Y, but those are expediency, not principle. They should be TACTICS > to a principled purpose, one that will attract others, on the basis of its > soundness and validity. > > And lastly, about the FCC, the last administration's appointees were > advocates for free markets and for competition and deregulation. Not > particularly effective ones, but at least they were not our enemy. The > current administration's people at the FCC are IN NO WAY our friend, for any > way, manner, or purpose, and everything they want is bad for us and the > country. STop talking political party talking points, and get some reality. > > > > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > Neofast, Inc, Making internet easy > 541-969-8200 509-386-4589 > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Faisal Imtiaz"<[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, July 15, 2011 8:01 PM > To: "WISPA General List"<[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [WISPA] The Legislative Situation Is Dire > >> Errr....... and your point is ? >> >> Ok, I am a nobody... I have seen / read your emails, not once can I say >> I have been able to pick out a proposed specific, action or a plan of >> action from you .... >> >> My friend you and I can agree or dis-agree on concepts all day long... >> but the point still remains ... I for myself still am not able to >> ascertain what exactly is it that you have been proposing ? ( I >> understand the anger at all of the powers to be.... part...and I beg to >> differ when you start blaming ..'this administration'..... I personally >> have been watching and following the FCC stuff, on sliding slopes, for >> the last 12 years..that according to my calculations has been multiple >> administrations.....) >> >> You clear your head, and try to articulate your position in a >> non-partisan manner, which can be understood by the general public, and >> put forward a reasonably understandable plan of action .... I guarantee >> you, you will have many here who would be willing to listen and follow >> your lead... >> >> But if you continue expressing yourself in the convoluted manner, as in >> your email below....then there is a very high probability that these >> will continue to be chalked off as "tirades" and "rants". >> >> >> :) >> >> Faisal Imtiaz >> Snappy Internet& Telecom > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- > WISPA Wants You! Join today! > http://signup.wispa.org/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- > > WISPA Wireless List: [email protected] > > Subscribe/Unsubscribe: > http://lists.wispa.org/mailman/listinfo/wireless > > Archives: http://lists.wispa.org/pipermail/wireless/ > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- WISPA Wants You! 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