Author Topic: Forced $15 Broadband in NY  (Read 678 times)

Ben

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Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« on: May 02, 2021, 09:06:08 AM »
New York just enacted a law requiring $15/mo broadband for "low income" people.

Quote
"I knew giant telecom companies would be upset by our efforts to level the playing field, and right on cue, they're pushing back," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today. "Let me be abundantly clear—providing Internet in the Empire State is not a god-given right. If these companies want to pick this fight, impede the ability of millions of New Yorkers to access this essential service, and prevent them from participating in our economic recovery, I say bring it on."

The state law requires $15 broadband plans with download speeds of at least 25Mbps, with the $15 being "inclusive of any recurring taxes and fees such as recurring rental fees for service provider equipment required to obtain broadband service and usage fees."

ISPs can alternatively comply by offering $20-per-month service with 200Mbps speeds, and price increases would be capped at two percent per year. The state is required to review download speed requirements within two years and at least once every five years thereafter to determine whether they should be raised. Minimum upload speeds are not specified by the law.

Seems like a loser for most people. If the lawsuit fails, the ISPs either lose money, or much more likely, up their rates for regular customers to make up the difference. If the lawsuit succeeds, NY will likely find a way to do a state funded voucher that hits all state taxpayers.

I pay $80 for 15MBPS, and while I'd love to go faster, I still do most everything I want except super duper resolution on the TV. Even back when I was paying $90 for 4MBPS, I could more than get by for doing any "critical" stuff on the internet. Seems like if this is some kind of "basic right" internet, they could just do 5MBPS, which would give the special groups more than enough access without overly burdening ISP infrastructure. Gotta be able to watch the 4K Netflix on the 75" flat screen in the section 8 apartment though.

EDIT: Oops - forgot the link.
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2021/04/isps-sue-new-york-to-block-law-requiring-15-broadband-for-poor-people/
« Last Edit: May 02, 2021, 09:54:37 AM by Ben »
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lee n. field

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2021, 09:46:38 AM »
New York just enacted a law requiring $15/mo broadband for "low income" people.

Seems like a loser for most people. If the lawsuit fails, the ISPs either lose money, or much more likely, up their rates for regular customers to make up the difference. If the lawsuit succeeds, NY will likely find a way to do a state funded voucher that hits all state taxpayers.

I pay $80 for 15MBPS, and while I'd love to go faster, I still do most everything I want except super duper resolution on the TV. Even back when I was paying $90 for 4MBPS, I could more than get by for doing any "critical" stuff on the internet. Seems like if this is some kind of "basic right" internet, they could just do 5MBPS, which would give the special groups more than enough access without overly burdening ISP infrastructure. Gotta be able to watch the 4K Netflix on the 75" flat screen in the section 8 apartment though.

Hmmm.  I regularly see the wireless ISP side of our business ordering in multiple thousands of dollars worth of equipment.  They maintain a small fleet of vehicles, for going hither and yon throughout the corner of NWIL we cover.  And they have to buy the bandwidth that they resell.

Just going to guess, there's some money flowing from the state to the ISPs.  And probably certainly strings attached to it.  Because I'm sure someone wants to keep tabs on the the surfing habits of the folks in section 8 housing.  Gotta keep track on them raaht wing rassis, after all.
« Last Edit: May 02, 2021, 01:56:54 PM by lee n. field »
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HankB

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2021, 10:01:52 AM »
New York should also pass laws requiring Tesla to sell Model 3s for $500, the local McD's to sell a burger, fries, and a drink for under $1, pharmacies to charge no more than $10 for a one month supply of any - ANY! - medication, and new S&W M29 revolvers for $50. And so forth and so on.

Hey, if mandating a low internet rate is kosher, mandating low prices for everything else is OK, too.

(FWIW, I'm paying ~$65 a month for 200mbps service.)
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Hawkmoon

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2021, 10:57:39 AM »
Cuomo is looking for ways to divert attention from the sordid tale of his toxic workplace problem.
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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #4 on: May 02, 2021, 10:54:47 PM »
gawd what a mess my home state/city is.
so glad I left
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MechAg94

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2021, 08:59:04 AM »
Cuomo is looking for ways to divert attention from the sordid tale of his toxic workplace problem.
Don't forget about killing a bunch of old people through germ warfare which was highlighted recently with the loss of a congressional seat for the state. 

Sounds like he has multiple things he is trying to do distractions for.  I doubt I know half of them.
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K Frame

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2021, 10:02:29 AM »
"Seems like a loser for most people. If the lawsuit fails, the ISPs either lose money, or much more likely, up their rates for regular customers to make up the difference."

My guess is that ISPs with multi-state reach would have to raise rates across their whole customer base to make up for this, not just for customers in NYS.
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RocketMan

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #7 on: May 03, 2021, 10:06:22 AM »
Seems to me that if the government can force people to buy health insurance against their will, they can force companies to sell their goods and services at a loss to special customer groups.
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dogmush

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #8 on: May 03, 2021, 10:33:38 AM »
Quote from: K Frame
My guess is that ISPs with multi-state reach would have to raise rates across their whole customer base to make up for this, not just for customers in NYS.

If they do I hope the customers from neighboring states file a class action suit.

It's not their fault New Yorkers elect idiots.

cordex

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #9 on: May 03, 2021, 10:43:33 AM »
If they do I hope the customers from neighboring states file a class action suit.

It's not their fault New Yorkers elect idiots.
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K Frame

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Re: Forced $15 Broadband in NY
« Reply #10 on: May 03, 2021, 11:18:39 AM »
And, I guess this means that the Dems gathering around the "access to high-speed porn on the net" is a human right train.
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