---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message-ID: <20180829193231.GA29799@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:32:31 -0400 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: When ISPs Tell Seniors Net Neutrality Laws Will Increase Their Bills, They're Lying When ISPs Tell Seniors Net Neutrality Laws Will Increase Their Bills, They're Lying and Losing By Ernesto Falcon The fight to secure net neutrality protections for Californians keeps showing how far ISPs and their surrogates will go to make a buck off of ending the free and open Internet. The latest maneuver is a flood of deceptive robocalls targeting seniors and stating that net neutrality will raise their cell phone bills by $30 a month and slow down the Internet. It's not just a lie, it's proof that you've successfully put them on the defensive by contacting your representatives about net neutrality. The robocalls don't mention net neutrality by name. Instead, they simply assert that S.B. 822 will raise their bills and slow down their Internet. If ISPs decided to make this true by coordinating to raise prices in reaction to net neutrality legislation it would probably be illegal under federal antitrust law. There is no evidence that says net neutrality harms ISPs to the point where they must raise prices to make money. In fact, the evidence says the exact opposite. The fact that this is even possible reveals that we seriously lack sufficient competition in the wireless market. Such intentional misrepresentations demonstrate the extent major ISPs oppose any legal requirements to keep the Internet free and open, even after it has been discovered that they would go so far as to upsell public safety during an emergency in California. https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2018/08/when-isps-tell-seniors-net-neutrality-laws-will-increase-their-bills-theyre-lying -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + The Telecom Digest depends on generous supporters like John Lewandowski + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20180829180758.GA29152@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2018 14:07:58 -0400 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: California Leaders Call for Probe Into Verizon Throttling in Letter to FTC By Stephen Ellison Several California members of Congress, including Bay Area representatives, have called for an investigation into Verizon's throttling of fire department data during a deadly and destructive Northern California fire last month. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, the contingency demands that the agency protect consumers, especially public safety entities, from any deceptive practices by communications companies such as Verizon Wireless. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/California-Leaders-Call-for-Probe-Into-Verizon-Throttling-in-Letter-to-FTC-491934091.html -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + The Telecom Digest depends on generous supporters like John Levine + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20180829182121.GA29388@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2018 14:21:21 -0400 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: 4 Seniors: Cheap cell phone plans OKLAHOMA CITY - While unlimited high-speed data, video streaming and mobile hot spot are now standard for most cell phone plans today, there are still a number of low-cost wireless plans designed with seniors in mind. These plans offer limited talk time and text, which is ideal for seniors who want to stay connected without spending too much money each month. https://kfor.com/2018/08/28/4-seniors-cheap-cell-phone-plans/ -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + The Telecom Digest would not be possible without the generous support + + of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at MIT + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20180829192619.GA29775@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2018 15:26:19 -0400 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: Net neutrality fight gets ugly with robocalls spreading false claims The robocalls reportedly target senior citizens in California. By Gordon Gottsegen As if robocalls weren't annoying enough, now they're reportedly spreading misinformation in a fight against net neutrality. This includes falsely saying that an upcoming California net neutrality bill may raise their cell phone bill by $30 if passed. One of the robocalls, which are likely targeting senior citizens, was transcribed in a report by Motherboard, it states: "Your Assembly member will be voting on a proposal by San Francisco politicians that could increase your cellphone bill by $30 a month and slow down your data. We can't afford higher cell phone bills. We can't afford slower data. We can't afford Senate Bill 822." https://www.cnet.com/news/robocalls-are-trying-to-fight-net-neutrality-by-spreading-false-information/ -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + The Telecom Digest depends on generous supporters like John Levine + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ Message-ID: <20180829180630.GA29122@telecom.csail.mit.edu> Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2018 14:06:30 -0400 From: Bill Horne <bill@horneQRM.net> Subject: T-Mobile Debuts #HallOfLame Sand Sculpture, Taking Aim At AT&T and Verizon By Alexander Maxham T-Mobile has just unveiled its own sand sculpture, which is on display at the US Sand Sculpting Challenge and Dimensional Art Exposition in San Diego. The sculpture was built by Archisand Professional Sand Sculptors, and is aimed at the magenta carrier's competitors, AT&T and Verizon. T-Mobile is calling it the #HallOfLame sand sculpture and it shows decisions that both carriers have made recently. This includes purchasing Yahoo and AOL, calling out AT&T for overcharging users with over 75 different taxes and fees, and of course talking about the endless maze that is calling customers service - of course that takes aim at T-Mobile's most recent Un-carrier announcement. This sand sculpture from T-Mobile is pretty elaborate, and if you are in the San Diego area, it's a good idea to stop by and check it out. In the press release announcing this sand sculpture, T-Mobile's CEO, John Legere is quoted as saying "no matter how many times I've told the carriers to listen to customers and do what they tell you, they just won't listen - they've got their heads in the sand, so we'll try to reach them where they're at...in the sand."Legere also says that it's time for change, and calls for AT&T and Verizon to stop gouging customers and making it difficult to contact customer service. https://www.androidheadlines.com/2018/08/t-mobile-debuts-halloflame-sand-sculpture-taking-aim-at-att-and-verizon.html -- Bill Horne (Remove QRM from my email address to write to me directly) ***** Moderator's Note ***** The article includes a picture of the sculpture: it man be the canonical example of blunt-force art. Bill Horne Moderator +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + The Telecom Digest depends on generous supporters like John Lewandowski + +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ------------------------------ ********************************************* End of telecom Digest Sat, 01 Sep 2018