Please Sir. May I have Another?

It is Time for a ‘Clean Sweep’ Agenda to Fix the FCC and the Digital Divide.

THIS IS PART 1 — How many things are wrong with America’s communications thanks to the current FCC policies?

CLICK FOR PART II: Enough. Time for a ‘Clean Sweep’ Agenda. 14 critical next steps America needs to take to Take Back Our Networks.

The graphic above is the First Clean Sweep Action America Must Take — Now.

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Please Sir May I have Another?

It is post-election, November 2020. There is a new President and the FCC will change hands to a new administration, hopefully draining the swamp of the last Republican FCC.

Underneath, most of us know what’s wrong and what this current FCC failed to fix — though the previous Democrat administrations were also captured and failed us.

We will present a “Clean Sweep Agenda for the FCC and America”; 14 critical next steps that now, more than ever, need to be addressed immediately.

But first, let’s start with the toxic sludge that has been added to our communications services, mostly by AT&T, Verizon, CenturyLink and the cable companies, including Comcast and Charter — with the help of the FCC.

America’s Communications Prices Are 5–20 Times More Expensive than Overseas.

• Overseas, wireless “truly unlimited” means over 1000 GB for $35 bucks.
• US big “unlimited” plans are just deceptive and are capped, usually 50GB.
• On these plans we’re overcharged, on average, over $50 a month.
• US Triple Play (broadband, phone, and cable TV) averages $210 month and rising.
• Overseas, the price, on average, is under $50.
• We’re Overcharged about $160 month.

Our Bills are filled with Garbage: Made-up Taxes, Fees and Surcharges.

• The “Cost Recovery Fee”, the “Broadcast-Sports fee”, or the “Admin” fees are not government mandated and add 15–40% on our bills for no reason.

The Digital Divide Widened for 3 Reasons

• “Many Americans Can’t Afford Broadband, But the FCC Doesn’t Care”, writes Motherboard.
• No High Speed Service or Competition. Vice writes: “Studies suggest that 42 million Americans lack access to any broadband whatsoever, double the official FCC estimates. ILSR estimates 83 million more Americans live under a broadband monopoly, usually Comcast”, the cable company — i.e.; no choice.
• Social Injustice: It has been rural areas, as well as low income, especially minority areas, that are hit hardest by rising rates, or lack of high speed broadband.

Most Disliked Companies in America

• American Customer Satisfaction Index, ACSI, states that out of 46 industries examined in the 2020 report, ISPs, cable TV and phone service are at the bottom of the pile.

Stop the “Whamming”, “Slamming”, “Cramming”, and “Digital Stalking”.

• Each has their own harms — from adding expenses, bloating our wireless costs, or tracking us and selling the information, they use our lack of consumer education against us.

5G Is a Bait-and Switch

• 5G was supposed to offer Gig speeds, but it is 4G plus lipstick; it requires a fiber optic wire, which can be ‘subsidized’ by local phone customers, and the companies have lied about the actual deployments. There are also draconian data caps, then the speed slows.

The FCC has been Captured by AT&T, Verizon et al.

• The FCC has voted to get rid of net neutrality, block cities from wireless oversight, blocked competitors from using the networks.
• FCC Chairman Pai is a former Verizon attorney; Commissioner Carr worked for the CTIA, wireless association and all of the Republicans are ‘friends’ of ALEC.
• Former Democrat FCC Chair Tom Wheeler was former CEO of the CTIA.
• The FCC Advisory Committees have also been rigged to help AT&T et al.

Failed to Upgrade America to Fiber Optics; We Paid Over $500 Billion Since 1992.

• “The Book of Broken Promises” (free download) is a trilogy which started in 1998 detailing the overcharging of America for a fiber optic information superhighway, but America ended up paying for a refurbished dirt road.

Failed to Maintain the Copper Utility Networks; Let Them Deteriorate to ‘Shut-Off’.

• In state after state, Verizon et al. let the existing copper-based utility deteriorate; most of it put in before the 1970’s, and was never properly upgraded or maintained for decades.
• AT&T announced it is shutting DSL, which uses the copper wires, in 21 states, leaving millions stranded, as this is the only option in some rural areas.

“Say Anything” with No Penalties or Consequences

§ From broadband and 5G deployments that don’t exist, to misleading advertising and communications bills, the companies have been able to make statements and manipulate data to change public policies in their favor with no recourse.

Click for PART II: Enough. Time for a ‘Clean Sweep’ Agenda. 14 critical next steps America needs to take to Take Back Our Networks.

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