ISPs Fight To Keep Broadband Gaps Secret

Aaron writes "Broadband Reports notes how Maryland was working on a law that would force ISPs to show exactly where they offer service and at what speed. The goal was to help map coverage gaps, since FCC broadband data is worthless for this purpose. Cable and phone company lobbyists have scuttled the plan, convincing state leaders the plan would bring 'competitive harm,' 'stifle innovation,' and even close local coffee shops. Of course the real reason is they don't want the public to know what criteria they use to determine the financial viability of your neighborhood — as they cherry-pick only the most lucrative areas for next-generation services. The Center for Public Integrity is trying to obtain the unreleased raw FCC penetration data, but these companies are also fighting this tooth and nail."

money well spent

[mastershake_phd]

Good thing we gave them $200 Billion http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20060131/2021240_ F.shtml [techdirt.com]

Re:Franchise Agreements?

[thegameiam]

FiOS isn't actually being run in urban centers: it's too hard to dig up city streets. Verizon is putting it mostly in the new-ish suburbs. At least, that's the way it is in DC...

Re:Easy web business opportunity

[MrShaggy]

Broadband reports already does this. they already have huge number of users, and a way to put in your zip-code, so that you can be compared to others in the area. They could do a simple database scant that would do the research, as long as everyone opted for it. But then you still have the whole zip-code penetration issue. i don't understand how you could get any further, without a huge privacy issue with the users. Can you gurantee that no-one will hack your severer knowing thousands of addresses are on it?? Not to mention their ip number?

I for one, would like to see this revived...

[Kumba]

Considering I live in MD, Southern MD, to be specific, I would LOVE to know what broadband providers are nearby. Comcast has an exclusive lock on my region, and to make things worse, we have an ongoing return-path/upstream signal issue that has, so far, been traced back to the main tap that they've grudgingly done a few tweaks to. Likely just to get us to shut up. Yet the problem keeps coming back. Verizon and their vaunted Fios service is no where to be found. Hell, we don't even have DSL from Verizon available. When I actually called them up on this, the decision was made to avoid upgrading our local CO and go straight to a fiber upgrade in another few years.

Really, Verizon could come down here and own Comcast simply because it'd give people a choice for once. Choice is a GoodThing(TM). So what are they waiting for?

Guess I'll have to write my reps on this one...

Re:Easy web business opportunity

[element-o.p.]

Hmmmm....you mean kind of like what http://www.dslreports.com/ [dslreports.com] does? 8)