FCC Gets Go-Ahead For Plan To Expand Rural Internet Access 156
The FCC's plan to use fees collected from big telecom companies to expand Internet infrastructure in rural parts of the U.S. was given a green light yesterday in Denver, by the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Those telecoms maintained that the FCC's mandate did not extend to using the money to pay for Internet service, but a three-judge panel dismissed their challenge. From The Verge: "The FCC originally pitched the program as part of the Universal Service Fund in 2011, noting in a report a year earlier that approximately 14 million people did not have access to broadband. The Connect America Fund aimed to use a portion of customer bills in other areas of the country to build out broadband infrastructure, including cellular data networks in those areas. That would begin with $300 million at the start, and up to $500 million as part of an annual budget."
Yes! (Score:5, Funny)
Finally they stood up to the telecoms and now I trust them completely to ensure that the Internet will be free, open and available to everyone.
I've never understood the hate as of late.
Ahh the real reason Net Neutrality is built (Score:5, Funny)
Fed: Here is some tax payer money. Now promise you will use it for rural Iowa where people pay $300 a month for a 640kb connection.
ISP: Oh yeah we promise. Thanks Uncle Sam!
Fed: Uh 3 years has happened where is the new infrastructure that the hard working tax payers paid for?
ISP: NO! We do not want to spend it. Screw you! We gave it to the CEO and shareholders so we could keep our bonuses.
Fed: What?! We had a deal. Why aren't you ...
ISP: Oh look at that ... big Ku CLUNG and a huge bag of money lands ... I was wondering what happened with that money that the tax payers gave us. It appears to be on your desk sir
FED: Oh then I see. Hmm perhaps we need a real expert to hear your case then. Someone with close ties and is on your payroll to tell us you need to steal more tax payer money?
ISP: Ahh good idea. Hire me. I work as a lobbyest and as you know I am quite clumsy and keep dropping these bags of free speech everywhere I go too. Oh boy got to watch that.
Fed: LOL. Ok we can't keep giving you money though. So what can we do
ISP: I know lets rip off other people then. You see we charge too much as it is and we also charge people who want to host and stream. What if we tripple charge all over the place. Then more bags of free speech might just keep falling out if I am not careful.
Fed: Praise Obama and worship Henry Reid so I can keep my job after 2014 and you have a deal!
ISP: Got it ... shakes hands