On Sep 15, 7:35 am, Roy Schestowitz <newsgro...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
> Verizon sues FCC over open-access auction
>
> ,----[ Quote ]
> | Media reform group Free Press, a
> | supporter of the open-access rules, accused
> | Verizon Wireless of sending "lawyers, FUD
> | and money" in an attempt to
> | overturn the FCC's decision.
> `----
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20070914/tc_infoworld/91833
Keep in mind that common carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, and most
other carriers have been offering ATM and other digital signalling
services at different "quality of service" tiers for years. Remember,
both TCP/IP, Audio, and even Video circuits use the same wires and the
same "link layer" protocol to pass information. Video and telephone
circuits are time-critical. Delays in traffic occurr as clicks,
static, or fade-outs on the audio circuits, and tiles or freezes on
the digital Video circuits.
Typically, the TCP/IP traffic is routed through the "whatever's left"
channels. Media viewers deal with the possible delays by caching up a
few seconds worth of content. This allows the application to sound
normal even if a few packets are delayed. The technology was
originally used in UNIX systems by using pipelines of "cat" to smooth
the flow of audio. For example, could use:
cat file.wav | cat | cat | player
The first cat would pull sectors from the hard drive, the second and
third cat permit the operating system to cache and queue inputs to
smooth the flow of data into player.
As more and more individuals and corporations switch to Voice over IP
and Video Conferencing over IP, the carriers are more and more pressed
for revenue. Many commercial customers are willing to pay a premium
to have their VOIP traffic routed over higher priority circuits
previously used by their traditional voice lines.
New Jersey was the original home of AT&T. After Divestiture, the NJ
organization was Bell Atlantic, which resisted and subverted attempts
to create toll-free TCP/IP networks. At one point, a super-net of
almost 500 POPs was required to get toll free access to 90% of New
Jersey.
Later Bell Atlantic merged with several other "Baby Bells" to become
Verizon. Verizon continued to drag their feet in the deployement of
internet capable lines. In many cases, the cable companies introduced
high speed internet first, and Verizon would enter the local market
2-5 years later.
I lived in one place for almost 6 years. When I first moved in, I had
cable download, but dial-up upload. About 2 years later, 2-way cable
arrived. Finally, 6 years later, I received an invitation to sign up
for their DSL service, just as I had moved to a new place, where the
cable company offered 8 Mb download and 2 Mb upload speeds.
Verizon never integrated their wireless service either. Even when I
was a Verizon phone customer and Verizon Wireless customer, I got two
different phone bills, two different phone numbers, and neither
provided high speed internet access.
I still use Verizon Wireless, primarily because I get coverage in
numerous places that don't support AT&T and other carriers. I very
rarely get a dropped call because I am passing through a bad coverage
area, and I've only had to pay a total of $80 domestic roaming
charges, once when I was in southern Missouri, and once when I was in
the southern Colorado Rockies. I was even able to add international
service when I went to India. I've even been able to use my cell
phone as a modem when at an airport that didn't support WiFi.
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