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Google wants to make darn sure that when Verizon opens up its wireless network, it actually opens up its wireless network.
In a new petition (PDF) to the US Federal Communications Commission, the world’s largest search engine questions whether Verizon is planning to sidestep the commission’s new open access rules, urging Kevin Martin and crew to put an extra clamp on the mega telco.
Thanks to some heavy lobbying from Google and friends, the FCC has attached an open access requirement to the so-called 700-MHz C Block, a prime portion of the US airwaves auctioned off earlier this year. Verizon ended up winning the auction with bids totaling more than $4.7m, and in theory, it must open the block to any device and any application. But Verizon has spent many years keeping its world as closed as possible.
Yes, Verizon has told everyone it will open up its entire network by the end of the year. But Google wonders if its rival is playing fast and loose with the word open.
In previous FCC filings, Verizon has advocated a so-called “two door” open access policy where open access doesn’t apply to Verizon-sold phones, and Google argues that this sort of open access policy is less than open.
“Verizon has taken the public position that it may exclude its handsets from the open access condition,” Google’s petition reads. “Verizon believes it may force customers who want to access the open platform using a device not purchased from Verizon to go through ‘Door No. 1,’ while allowing customers who obtain their device from Verizon access through ‘Door No. 2.’ As Google previously made clear, Verizon’s position would completely reverse the meaning of the rule such that the open access condition would apply to none of Verizon’s customers, and thereby render the condition a nullity.”
(Source: Rockstar Games)
Lawmaker calls for free, family-friendly wireless internet access open to the public; another auction required
With the internet littered with foul, explicit material, parents worry more and more about their children finding out what the internet fully has to offer. The solution, proposed by Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA), is to open up spectrum.
Eshoo proposed a new act on Monday, dubbed the Wireless Internet Nationwide for Families Act, instructing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to auction off 2155-2175MHz band of spectrum.
The winner of the auction of is required to use the spectrum to create free, nationwide wireless internet service that blocks all pornographic websites. It would be a service targeted directly towards families. Eshoo hopes the auctioning of the spectrum would attract types of national broadband service providers.
“The cost of broadband service is a barrier for too many families who want broadband, with more than 100 million Americans without broadband at home,” Eshoo said. “The results of the 700 MHz auction disappointed many of us who hoped that a new entrant would emerge. 70% of the spectrum auctioned went to only two carriers. While the auction required under this legislation is open to anyone, it is my hope that the bold conditions of requiring free, family friendly service will encourage the entry of a new kind of national broadband service provider.”
The two carriers Eshoo speaks of are Verizon and AT&T, already top-tier broadband carriers in the U.S.
- In: 2010 | 50 Mbps | Broadband | Comcast | Internet | Roll Out | Speeds | united states | Verizon
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Internet
The Twin Cities are the lucky guinea pigs for Comcast’s new high-speed internet
Verizon’s FiOS fiber broadband connection is currently the only option for United States Internet surfers to wander about the world wide web while downloading content at up to 50 Mbps and uploading data at up to 20 Mbps. However, Verizon’s FiOS service is limited to a few areas at this time, even though roll-out is being performed slowly but surely.
Recently, Comcast also announced plans to increase the maximum bandwidth of its broadband service to 50 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload bandwidth to compete with Verizon.
Currently, Comcast is running its broadband service aalong the DOCSIS 2.0 protocol, or the second generation of the Data Over Cable Service Interface Specifications. This protocol tops out with a maximum downstream bandwidth of 42.88 Mbps while the maximum upstream bandwidth tops out at 30.72 Mbps.
For Comcast to increase its bandwidth, it will have to begin using DOCSIS 3.0 compliant hardware. The initial DOCSIS 3.0 specs will utilize four channels over cable; which allows the compatible hardware to serve twice the amount of data per second than DOCSIS 2.0’s dual channel design.
Through the 4-channel design, DOCSIS 3.0 compliant hardware will allow a maximum of 170 Mbps and 123 Mbps downstream and upstream bandwidth respectively. To achieve this higher bandwidth, Comcast must upgrade its back-end infrastructure to to hardware complaint with DOCSIS 3.0 and must also provide upgrades to customers’ leased modems or offer new hardware that is capable of supporting DOCSIS 3.0.
The high-bandwidth options from Comcast are in trial in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota but Comcast states it will begin mass rollout once the design has been finalized and ready for use over its nationwide infrastructure, which Comcast’s president of marketing and product development states may be by 2010.
Meanwhile, Verizon has brought its fiber-based broadband connection to a number of markets in the U.S. If Comcast goes through with these speed increases, we may hopefully see some long-awaited price wars in the broadband industry.
Pricing for the 50/20 Mbps download/upload package is stated around $150 and is only planned for the residential market. Business owners may have the option for a higher-bandwidth package in the future, however, no pricing information has been made available at this time.
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