tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-173429122024-03-07T19:20:17.806-07:00Mark's Musings on the Telecommunications IndustryThoughts, opinions, and facts on the business and technology of the telecommunications industry.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-5611010240029554372016-01-12T16:24:00.000-07:002016-01-12T16:24:58.209-07:00Not A New Year's ResolutionI'm not the type of person to make New Year's resolutions because why should a person pick just one time of the year to say that they are going to evaluate how they are going to live their life or run their business. This philosophy comes from my grandmother that use to say, "Why should I wait until your birthday to give you a present to show my love? I love you all of the time so anytime is a Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-7924465609797585282015-11-10T12:27:00.001-07:002015-11-10T12:27:13.992-07:00A Time for A TransitionAlmost a year has passed since I last written a blog, why? Maybe after almost three decades in the industry I'm not excited by the technology these day. Maybe it has been the associations with my last two companies that have deflated the once full sails that I had for navigating through the industry. Or maybe it is the malaise that has wandered into the industry after the deflation of the bubble.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0Boulder, CO, USA40.0149856 -105.2705455999999939.820449100000005 -105.59326909999999 40.2095221 -104.9478221tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-65971730577202755252015-01-15T23:53:00.001-07:002015-01-15T23:53:35.375-07:00Obama Proposes Overriding the Tenth AmendmentObama’s speech at Cedar Falls, Iowa was like most of his speeches; much to do about nothing. He is proposing nothing short of allowing municipal governments to use taxpayer funds to compete against private enterprise, and he is encouraging the FCC to override 20 state laws in contradiction to the Tenth Amendment. I make no bones that I am a free market capitalist and I am strongly against the Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-30236863535795374212014-11-22T15:22:00.001-07:002014-11-22T15:23:58.184-07:00There May Be Hope YetOver the past couple of weeks, I have been encouraged that there are more people discussing open-access infrastructure than before. Maybe it is because they have started to read Title II and realize that it is not the panacea once thought. By definition more government intervention/regulation means less freedom, and the hundreds of pages contained in the Telecommunications Act of 1934 is no Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-76400287760567597172014-10-12T10:44:00.000-06:002014-10-12T10:44:10.500-06:00Avoiding the Pitfalls of Municipal Broadband Networks
I just posted an article on municipal broadband from Forbes that is one of many that points out the pitfalls of municipal broadband. Lest we forget all of the muni-WiFi follies of the last decade. It is not the purpose of government to compete with free enterprise in a capitalist economy. Government should only step in when private enterprise will not or cannot financially serve a market.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-53932209120257747722014-04-27T10:03:00.001-06:002014-04-27T10:08:25.056-06:00Why Do We Need the F.C.C. Involved in the Internet?Apparently my last article hit a nerve with a few people which is strange because it was only meant to enlighten people as to the real issues concerning traffic management and peering to stimulate competition for over-the-top (OTT) providers.  I have to say that at stake here is the exact issue that I have personally encountered.  My lowly blog isn’t backed by any major media outlets orAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-51175190842892424592014-04-25T02:07:00.001-06:002014-04-25T03:02:23.070-06:00Common Sense at the F.C.C. Federal Communications Chairman Thomas Wheeler (Brian Fung/The Washington Post) After a few months of comments by the Chairman of the F.C.C., Thomas Wheeler, that the Commission would consider allowing companies to pay for special arrangements for access to their customers.  They will propose a new set of rules in their May meeting that will allow content providers to pay broadband Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-13275395084805617192011-04-07T11:00:00.001-06:002011-04-07T11:00:10.184-06:00North Carolina Legislate to Limit Muni Broadband is Neither Fair Nor LevelLast week House Bill 129 was passed by the North Carolina House of Representatives, and it is now making its way through the Senate.  This piece of legislation’s sole purpose is to protect the incumbent service providers in the state in areas where they cannot afford to make investments for advanced broadband services.  It unfairly limits municipalities ability to drive economic growth Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-32711554800763633472011-02-22T12:14:00.001-07:002011-02-22T12:32:52.270-07:00Where Are Your Blog Posts?You may have noticed that I have not posted anything on my blog since mid-December.  Instead, I have been posting commentaries to the articles I post on Inphotonics Research.  Every day I post and article or two to the news page of our company’s site, and I will add my comments to the story.  I post articles relating to municipal and rural broadband on this page.  There is an Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-43715913495547844882010-12-16T12:14:00.001-07:002010-12-16T12:14:39.423-07:00Qwest’s Request for Statewide Video Franchise Has a WeaknessThe proposal by Qwest for statewide franchising for video services is not necessarily a good move for consumers unless communities have options to ensure their broadband future.  By simplifying the franchising process, Qwest/CenturyLink and others can easily re-enter the video market in Colorado without negotiating with every city they want to provide service; thereby, allowing competitors Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-24835151052052715482010-09-17T11:08:00.001-06:002010-09-17T11:08:10.776-06:00New US "mega kill bill" would give President and DHS even more power to control the InternetLaws like this is the reason that I am against the FCC or Congress getting involved in any regulation of the Internet especially net neutrality.  This bill, if passed, would give the President and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sweeping powers to shut down parts and the whole Internet or even terminate specific users they deem are threats by executive fiat.  There is no Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-77342553836165251812010-09-03T11:18:00.001-06:002010-09-03T11:18:02.911-06:00The Wrangling on Net Neutrality Continues This WeekThe debate on net neutrality rages on this week with AT&T checking with their position on the topic.  Not only did they effectively state their case for differentiated services, they also addressed the inaccuracies in the positions of the political opposition groups.  Mr. Hultquist noted, in his blog post, that the position of net neutrality groups like the Church of Extreme Net Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-38671018770376317912010-08-21T15:12:00.002-06:002010-08-21T15:14:09.104-06:00Copps Is Out of Touch With FCC Staff
Michael Copps should spend more time talking to FCC staff and less time playing politician. The FCC's latest report on broadband performance recognizes and defines different service types, and they state that QOS plays a role in their performance. The FCC staff even goes as far as to recommend the use of differentiated services.
in reference to: FCC member blasts Google-Verizon plan, says it Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-90276756966444978092010-08-21T14:01:00.001-06:002010-08-21T14:04:31.154-06:00The FCC Has Recognized the Need for Differentiated ServicesLast week the FCC published its’ report on U.S. broadband Internet usage entitled Broadband Performance: OBI Technical Report No. 4.  The press chose to report on the sensational claim in the Executive Summary that actual measured bandwidth was half of the advertised bandwidth.  If they would have taken the time to read past the Executive Summary or not copy the other articles written Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-55921538669399973122010-08-12T15:57:00.001-06:002010-08-12T16:55:15.461-06:00Why Richi Jennings Is Right About Net NeutralityOut of the hundreds of articles written about the recent set of principles released by Google and Verizon, this article written by Richi Jennings correctly points out two reasons why the egalitarian net neutrality concept will not work.   He realizes that packet prioritization is necessary to create a good experience for all Internet users.  The Internet’s architecture has changed Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-43741560747142194362010-08-11T21:06:00.001-06:002010-08-12T16:50:59.761-06:00True Progress on Net Neutrality from Verizon and GoogleMonday Google and Verizon released their joint framework for an open Internet.  While the press and digiratti expressed their outrage that two leaders in the industry too the initiative to make a proposal, it was a major step forward in reaching consensus by the largest access and content providers.  Condemnation was generally universal from expected sources like Wired, This Week in Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-71885507830648977752010-07-12T11:24:00.001-06:002010-07-27T16:23:37.464-06:00The Future of the Internet: Net NeutralityManish Mamidanna of Scatter Tech writes a complete argument (The Future of the Internet: Net Neutrality) on net neutrality covering the deficiencies with the ISP, but he does not make a case for legislated net neutrality. We have been living under de facto net neutrality for years. There have been almost no instances of violation except for a few cases where the appropriate legal remedies wereAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0Boulder, CO, USA40.0149856 -105.270545639.8835141 -105.5040051 40.146457100000006 -105.03708610000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-89884644908134468622010-07-09T19:18:00.001-06:002010-07-09T19:21:55.901-06:00More Evidence That You Can't Stop That Demand for Bandwidth VeriSign's Project Apollo to increase their root domain infrastructure to meet a surge in Internet bandwidth of 1,000 is further proof that the future demand for greater bandwidth is real. This and other empirical data is contrary to the results published in the National Broadband Plan and touted by incumbent service providers. Consumers' consumption of more digital content will only increase Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-36401793316974980912010-07-02T08:52:00.001-06:002010-07-02T10:48:42.034-06:00Palm Will Live On at HP NEW VIDCAST: A Message to the Palm Developer Community from HP PC on Vimeo. The interview of HP CTO Phil McKinney by two of Palm's developer relations team reassures Palm owners that HP will continue to invest in Palm devices and WebOS under the HP umbrella. Palm will continue to exist as a subsidiary of HP in their mobile products division and Jon Rubenstein will continue to run Palm withAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-47320101958180595882010-07-01T10:13:00.001-06:002010-07-01T10:13:52.558-06:00Elimination of Discounts May Spur Fiber DeploymentsFrank Simone has a point here. Carriers utilizing these discounts are using the legacy network to boost their bottom line. Why put in fiber when they can bundle a few copper pairs to provide 10 Mbit/s at $13 per pair typically? The price hike will impact SMB the most when carriers like Covad, IP5280, and Integra Telecom boost their prices. We cannot continue to milk our copper infrastructure Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-69637941975159530092010-06-28T21:01:00.001-06:002010-06-28T21:01:10.302-06:00Vendors Picking Up the SlackThe shift of vendors assuming a greater responsibility started occurring when carriers started reducing costs by offering early retirement packages to their most experienced employees. This left an experience void with many carriers that the vendors filled with their employees' expertise. In reflection, the vendor community sees this as an opportunity to "partner" with their customer to deepen Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-52025631563418539772010-06-28T19:53:00.001-06:002010-06-28T19:53:27.988-06:00US Senate committee approves Internet close-down bill by vocal acclaim. Well, saves the fuss of a vote, doesn't it?Leave it to a bunch of Brits to point out how we continue to circumvent our democratic system.  TelecomTV, along with many other publications, reported that the Senate has passed a bill that will allow the president to shut down the Internet in the United States for up to 120 days without any Congressional approval.  The passage of this bill occurred with no mention in the mainstream Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-23535666376495525362010-05-15T15:14:00.000-06:002010-05-17T19:24:24.357-06:00Circumventing Due Process for the New World OrderI like to keep this blog more analytical and less political, but there are times when we need to use our industry expertise to shed light on policy issues when they impact our industry.  Entertainment copyright holders for well over a decade have been seeking greater powers to stop digital piracy despite the fact that the GAO has debunked the figures the enforcers throw around on the damage Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-36642293638201446192010-05-13T08:54:00.000-06:002010-05-14T09:01:57.066-06:00Incumbent Carriers Use Political Muscle to Stifle CompetitionTime Warner Cable and other incumbent communications carriers in the state of North Carolina are pushing for a bill that would prevent municipalities from building or even repairing broadband networks.  An article in Indy Week states that state senator David Hoyle is introducing a bill in the NC senate that would prevent municipalities from building their own broadband networks unless they Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17342912.post-22564342848183291662010-04-23T19:02:00.001-06:002010-04-23T19:02:11.576-06:00Why Boulder Is Ideal for 1 Gbit/s Broadband Network from GoogleI started this article weeks ago before the RFI was due and never found the time to finish it.  The problem was that there was too much content to keep confined to a short article.  After looking at my draft and realizing that readers, including Google, did not want to read a 10,000 word explanation, I condensed it to a bullet list.  So here are the reasons that Google should Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14869864713464246424noreply@blogger.com0