Re: The death of non-regulated ISPs?

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat net>
Date: February 13, 2007 6:45:45 PM EST
To: dave () farber net, ip () v2 listbox com, rjoffe () centergate com
Subject: Re: [IP] The death of non-regulated ISPs?

At 02:53 PM 2/13/2007, Rodney Joffe wrote:

> I think I finally have to admit that the smaller traditional ISPs
> have reached rock-bottom with respect to customer service and
> support. And if I (slightly more clueful and persistent than most of
> the mass market) am not able to force my way through a problem, I
> don't know how we expect the mass market users to do anything other
> than roll over and be abused.

I beg to differ. As a very small traditional ISP, we pride ourselves  
on offering better customer service and support than the "big guys,"  
who tend to send all support calls overseas to human robots who are  
authorized to do nothing but read from scripts. It's too bad that,  
due to poor governance and corporate lobbying, our days may be numbered.

> When I have had issues with connectivity with traditional facilities
> based providers, I have had the option of enlisting the assistance of
> state and federal regulators. It would be a pity if this noose was
> forced around all of the smaller providers. And voting with one's
> feet and pocketbook is sometimes not an option.

Unfortunately, the regulatory noose is indeed closing around the  
necks of small providers. In particular, the FCC -- ignoring the will  
of Congress, which said that CALEA should never be applied to  
Internet providers -- is requiring all ISPs to submit to costly  
requirements to make their networks tappable (even though any smart  
terrorist would encrypt anyway). At the same time, regulatory  
oversight of telephone monopolies is getting weaker. For example, the  
Wyoming legisature appears poised to pass Senate File 78, which would  
allow the ILECs to kick ISPs off of their DSL systems and raise the  
price of wholesale backbone connections above the retail price of  
Internet service. Few if any independent ISPs will survive if that  
bill passes.

--Brett Glass



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