---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <7DBD41E7-A434-4090-B79F-CE5F1AE43C7C@roscom.com> Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2017 00:51:33 -0500 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> Subject: An Anti-Consumer Agenda at the F.C.C. As President Trump rushes to dismantle Obama-era rules that protect Americans, he has an energetic helper over at the Federal Communications Commission. Its new Republican chairman has started undoing policies of his predecessor that were intended to make phone, cable and internet service more fair and more affordable. Ajit Pai, who was a commissioner before he became chairman last month, is trying to wipe away net neutrality rules put in place by Tom Wheeler, the former chairman, to prevent broadband companies from creating fast and slow lanes on the internet. Mr. Pai has scrapped a proposal to let people buy cable-TV boxes instead of renting them at inflated prices from companies like Comcast. Many of Mr. Pai's moves would hurt the people who have the least power. For instance, he has backed away from rules to lower the exorbitant rates for prison phone calls. And he has suspended nine companies from providing discounted internet service to poor people through a program known as Lifeline. http://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/10/opinion/an-anti-consumer-agenda-at-the-fcc.html ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20f124e9-4ce0-2f1f-ca09-8ecff9a30588@gmail.com> Date: Thu, 9 Feb 2017 10:55:13 -0600 From: John Schmerold <schmerold2@gmail.com> Subject: Voice to one carrier, SMS to another voip.ms hosted our office phone number using their relationship with Level3 - now CenturyLink. One of the benefits of their service is that we could exchange SMS messages with our clients using our main office number. In December we ported our office number to Charter, all voice calls are being routed to Charter. Here's the (happy) odd thing: SMS exchange continues to work properly with voip.ms Anyone know how this can be? Is Neustar still in charge of routing voice, does someone else route SMS? Who? I am intrigued and confused. -- John Schmerold Katy Computer Systems, Inc https://katy.com St Louis ------------------------------ Message-ID: <489F7684-3702-49E3-B39E-E3A96359F97F@roscom.com> Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2017 10:34:27 -0500 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> Subject: The Watchdog Protecting Consumers May Be Too Effective Republicans have taken aim at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a lone safeguard for Main Street against financial predation. http://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/10/business/consumer-financial-protection-bureau-gretchen-morgenson.html ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20170213041509.GA11704@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2017 23:15:09 -0500 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: Verizon Finally Offers Unlimited Data As The Mobile Wars Heat Up Again By Mark Rogowsky Poke the bear long enough, and the bear will wake up. Verizon put its unlimited data plans into hibernation back in 2011, but Big Red - as the carrier is often called - couldn't leave them there any longer. Starting tomorrow, Verizon joins T-Mobile in offering a mostly unlimited data plan to anyone that wants one. Sprint and AT&T also offer unlimited plans, though each comes with a quirk that might make them a bit less appealing. It's clear the relentless competition T-Mobile started has made wireless a vicious fight for consumers that has driven pricing down and quality up. That said, Verizon's pricing is still higher than most of the competition so as is often the case you might be choosing between coverage and monthly cost. To help you make that choice, let's answer some questions. http://www.forbes.com/sites/markrogowsky/2017/02/12/verizon-finally-offers-unlimited-data-as-the-mobile-wars-heat-up-again/#4b2054045a9e -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) ------------------------------ Message-ID: <0A589D5D-048B-47C7-87CE-67EB69BEF432@roscom.com> Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2017 20:04:34 -0500 From: Monty Solomon <monty@roscom.com> Subject: George Michael's family 'appalled' at 999 call leak George Michael's family have said they are "appalled" a 999 call made about the singer on the day he died was apparently leaked to the press. In a statement from their solicitors, the family called for the "culprit(s) to be dealt with appropriately". http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38950222 ------------------------------ ********************************************* End of telecom Digest Mon, 13 Feb 2017