Verizon is just so mad at the Federal Communications Commission today that a normal press release wouldn't do. After all, Verizon issues so many press releases denouncing the FCC for trying to regulate telecommunications that today's vote on net neutrality required a special one to make sure it would be remembered. So Verizon wrote it in Morse code and set the date as "1934" to make the point that the FCC is taking us backward in time. Verizon sent out the press release in this e-mail: http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/verizon-morse-code.png
Despite this protest, Verizon hasn't been shy about using Title II to its benefit. The company was already a Title II carrier for its wireline telephone and mobile voice networks, and used the benefits of its Title II status to help build its fiber network, which carries phone, TV, and Internet service.
Of course, this is the same Verizon that in 2012 claimed that net neutrality violates its First and Fifth Amendment rights. That happened after Verizon sued to overturn the FCC's 2010 net neutrality rules, which relied on authority granted to the FCC by Congress in both 1934 and 1996. (Verizon won that case, leading directly to today's FCC decision.)
Related Stories
Typing By Slamming Your Laptop Closed. Repeatedly:
Do you sometimes feel that your custom mechanical keyboard is not quite loud enough to proclaim your superior hacking powers? Or do you need a more forceful way shout in all caps at someone who is wrong on the internet? For all this and more, [Jesse Li] has got you covered, with a set of bash scripts that allows you to type by slamming your laptop closed repeatedly, using Morse code.
The scripts are quite simple, and work receiving the lid open/close events from ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface), recording the open and close timestamp and converting the timing to dots and dashes. After slamming to the required rhythm, you keep the lid open to see the character appear.
Yes, I see no practical use for this. Yes, I think it is a neat "hack". Had an itch and scratched it. Any soylentils here done their own Morse transceiver? How about on your smart phone? Transmit by long- or short-press anywhere on the screen for dits and dahs. Receive by phone vibration. Nearly silent communication while never needing to look at the screen!
Previously:
(2020-02-29) Learning Morse Code The Ludwig Koch Way
(2016-06-22) Ham it up! 2016 ARRL Field Day is June 25-26
(2015-02-27) Verizon Issues Furious Response to FCC, in Morse Code, Dated 1934
(2014-05-11) First Covert Communication System with Lasers
(2014-04-03) The POW Who Blinked "Torture" In Morse Code
(Score: 5, Insightful) by K_benzoate on Friday February 27 2015, @08:03PM
All the maturity and subtly of a 10-year-old's temper tantrum. There's one thing we can be sure of, if Verizon is angry over this, it's a good thing for consumers.
Climate change is real and primarily caused by human activity.
(Score: 5, Informative) by TheGratefulNet on Friday February 27 2015, @08:15PM
I'm not normally sadistic, but if a telecom were lying on the ground, in pain, asking for help....
I'd take a stick and poke them with it. repeatedly.
(you think there's any love left for those companies? you reap what you sow, I guess.)
whatever causes verizon (et al) severe pain, I'm all in favor of!
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
(Score: 5, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 27 2015, @08:19PM
Not exactly the kindest gesture, to be sure. Would you be willing to make up for your deleterious actions by sharing the stick with others?
(Score: 5, Informative) by Jeremiah Cornelius on Friday February 27 2015, @08:28PM
Verizon likes to bitch that they will be curtailed in innovation by this.
WHAT FUCKING INNOVATION?
They get margin of 100 to 1000 percent on each gigabyte of traffic forwarded. That's their job: FORWARDING.
Innovation came from Yahoo! and Netscape. From Real and eBay. From Netflix and Google. From Microsoft and Amazon and VMware. From Apple and HTC. Some from Alcatel and Cisco, even Nortel.
NONE. NONE. NONE. From the pipe-renters.
You're betting on the pantomime horse...
(Score: 5, Insightful) by dry on Friday February 27 2015, @10:22PM
I understand that they've been quite innovative in the billing department.
(Score: 5, Informative) by gman003 on Saturday February 28 2015, @01:00AM
Yes, and Title II puts a stop to that!
See U.S.C. Title 47 Chapter 5 Section 203, paragraphs (a) and (c):
In other words, they actually have to say what their prices are, and then actually stick to it. How can anyone possibly do business like this!
See? Innovation, killed.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by pnkwarhall on Friday February 27 2015, @10:49PM
Continual growth requires continual "innovation".
Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
(Score: 2) by hash14 on Saturday February 28 2015, @04:04PM
I'm sure Americans are very happy that they have Verizon to thank for rolling fiber out across the US:
http://fiberforall.org/fios-map/ [fiberforall.org]
Not to mention that their stockholders were furious at Ivan Seidenberg for his efforts to roll out an all-fiber network, which completely stopped as soon as his term as CEO ended. That alone tell you how much they give a damn.
(Score: 2, Informative) by mgcarley on Saturday February 28 2015, @08:25PM
I had a fairly lengthy and public debate with the NCTA about "innovation" - most of the things they cited had NOTHING whatsoever to do with innovations by the cable companies or telcos and some of the things they mentioned weren't even invented/started/developed in America.
It was pure FUD on their part which, after calling them out and providing logic and evidence to support our side, degenerated in to what essentially amounted to name-calling from what I can only assume to be their supporters, robots and/or some PR firm on a couple of different social-media platforms. Made the average 4channer look comparatively mature.
Founder & COO, Hayai. We're in India (hayai.in) & the USA (hayaibroadband.com) // Twitter: @mgcarley
(Score: 5, Funny) by TheGratefulNet on Friday February 27 2015, @10:34PM
I'm not willing to give up _my_ stick, but I have a solution - I can bring more sticks.
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 27 2015, @11:11PM
Deal!
(Score: 3, Funny) by Wootery on Friday February 27 2015, @09:54PM
I'd take a stick and poke them with it. repeatedly.
I'd join you. Hell, I think we could make a little contest out of it.
If there's one thing telcos hate, it's competition.
(Score: 2) by nitehawk214 on Friday February 27 2015, @08:30PM
Perhaps they were trying to garner support from the public by trying to start a meme.
Here [quickmeme.com] are a few they can use.
Or, this [blogspot.com].
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 4, Informative) by GungnirSniper on Friday February 27 2015, @08:04PM
Their pseudo-typewriter press release. [arstechnica.net]
Verizon and other ISPs have been trying to bill on both ends of their connections, and aren't happy with the profits they're making. They have turned down co-hosting data centers.
A Light Touch Policy isn't the reason Verizon has ended new FiOS rollouts. They're making so much off wireless it doesn't make sense to bring large parts of the country past 2002 Internet speeds. So the semi-regulated market here failed, and now we've got more regulations.
Tips for better submissions to help our site grow. [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 3, Insightful) by mechanicjay on Friday February 27 2015, @08:45PM
I have a bunch of typewriters. I've never had one produce such illegible smeared type as that "press release". It's as if they're unwittingly showing what a pile of nonsense they're pushing.
My VMS box beat up your Windows box.
(Score: 2) by nightsky30 on Saturday February 28 2015, @01:21PM
1 monkey with 1 typewriter could do better :)
(Score: 5, Funny) by fadrian on Friday February 27 2015, @10:47PM
Did they send the press release through their own system? Is that how it got that way? Looks about right.
That is all.
(Score: 2) by nitehawk214 on Friday February 27 2015, @08:04PM
Ensuring open access for all is taking us back? Since when did Ma Bell ever give a crap about it's customers?
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday February 27 2015, @08:05PM
Tantrum Much?
After decades of abusing their customers they can't stand the thought of actual Rules.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by eravnrekaree on Friday February 27 2015, @08:23PM
Verizon et al has been banking on rampant misunderstandings of net neutrality, that people dont know what it is.
It seems to be a view among many commentators that net neutrality will 1) result in stymie of investment in broadband 2) "Slow European type" internet speeds in the US 3) a "one size fits all" universal tier where everyone has to get the same speed for the same fee 4) censorship similar to the Fairness Doctrine 5) forcing web pages to be licensed 6) disasterous perfomance degradation including frequent rebuffering on Netflix 7) is a government takeover of the internet 8) new taxes, including new local and state utility taxes 9) triggering of treaties that will give the UN control over the internet. 10) 320 pages of regulations is not accessible to the public before the vote on said regulations 11) the market will fix all of these problems (is 1-2 choices for wireline broadband really a market?) 12) will stifle startups and innovation. 13) stopping these rules will "keep the internet as it is now"
I am sure that many will point out that a lot of that is poor hooey. Yet, There are some particular gotches with this, for instance, a badly written rule could really screw up peering, for instance, Google directly connects to many ISPs to avoid congestion and helps to improve internet speed, a badly designed rule could interfere with that, I am not saying that these rules do, but I am saying the rules have to be well designed to assure that they do not have adverse impacts.The basic idea that end user ISP should not be able to throttle traffic to the end user based on the remote address of that traffic.
It seems like many commentators do not understand the technicalities and cannot differentiate between an ISP having different bandwidth tiers for a consumer which treats all data the same, and being allowed to throttle certain traffic unless the party on the other end pays the end users ISP. They hear that ISPs will be banned from charging a fee and they assume that this must mean that ISPs will no longer able to charge consumers for their services. Its sort of like your phone company demanding that everyone who calls you help pay for your phone bill, because the problem here is, what net netrality wishes to stop, is not ISPs being able to offer tiers to consumers, but instead, to stop demanding that web sites and other parties being forced to pay for someone elses internet access. Many people I think do not understand net neutrality because it is simply not being explained.
That all being said, there could be serious problems with any rule, and unforeseen effects. what we do want is a light touch that does just whats needed but does not overreach but we should be concerned because this is a government and they can at times overreach. The claim that the rule has not been paid public checks out. I think if the rule had been made public the controversy might not have been so extreme and it would be more defensible.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Snotnose on Saturday February 28 2015, @12:43AM
Required reading: http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2015/02/stop-calling-government-regulation-net.html [blogspot.com]
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 28 2015, @06:41AM
Clueless you are grasshopper.
Yoda
(Score: 1) by mgcarley on Saturday February 28 2015, @09:00PM
I always laugh whenever US providers talk about how shit the Internet apparently is in Europe. Especially, you know, because anybody who has ever lived in Europe can tell you otherwise.
In my experience, unless you're in one of those countries that's still trying to emerge from the "dark ages" (say... Albania), the Internet access is (generally speaking) far superior and/or cheaper (even in the late 2000's) than what is available today almost everywhere I've spent significant lengths of time in the US (which is mostly in various states around the midwest, but a bit on the east coast as well).
Hell, I come from a tiny little island in the South Pacific and even they have been spending the last 5 or so years getting their act together and the last 3.5 building a national fiber network. Granted, the country isn't as big as the US but that doesn't really have anything to do with it: they're only building the last mile - middle mile fiber is already very much available no matter which country we're talking about (the other argument I love to hear is the one about population density - that one really gets me going).
But because you've been able to choose from any one of about 70 ISPs for the better half of a decade no matter where you live, the ISPs have to actually compete on grounds other than "You live in this ZIP code, so you have 2 choices: bad, or worse... if you don't like it, move."
Founder & COO, Hayai. We're in India (hayai.in) & the USA (hayaibroadband.com) // Twitter: @mgcarley
(Score: 5, Funny) by SrLnclt on Friday February 27 2015, @08:26PM
Maybe they can hire a Navajo code talker [xkcd.com] for their next press release.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Friday February 27 2015, @08:32PM
Verizon that in 2012 claimed that net neutrality violates its First and Fifth Amendment rights
This is what's wrong for me in the states. How the fuck can a company be protected by the constitution?
(Score: 2) by frojack on Friday February 27 2015, @09:13PM
Look up the word "incorporate".
Corporations are a special class of citizen that has legal rights and responsibilities lacking only the right to vote.
It is not dissimilar to other countries.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_company_law#Companies_and_civil_law [wikipedia.org]
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by TWX on Friday February 27 2015, @09:41PM
The problem is that they seem to lack the responsibility side, or to not want to fulfill their responsibilities.
IBM had PL/1, with syntax worse than JOSS...
and everywhere the language went, it was a total loss.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by frojack on Friday February 27 2015, @09:57PM
So not unlike a large numbr of citizens in the country then?
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by pnkwarhall on Friday February 27 2015, @10:55PM
Corporations are NOT like "a large number of citizens" in that they suffer minimal consequences for their actions, and their resources allow them to take action with much further-reaching consequences. So, the worst qualities of Man w/ none of the drawbacks that temper those bad qualities.
Lift Yr Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 27 2015, @09:55PM
Thankfully Citizens United mostly fixed that.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by The Archon V2.0 on Friday February 27 2015, @10:14PM
With the added right that if caught committing a felony, the corporate person can effectively blame his kneecap and have it removed. Afterwards he gets a replacement kneecap and will be dancing jigs again in no time.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Sunday March 01 2015, @11:59PM
Companies are legal entities, not citizens. I don't give a fuck [theamountoffucksigive.com] about semantics and interpretations. They're not fucking human. They don't have any real responsibilities (as soon as they're big enough), while claiming more and more rights, which were meant for people.
This whole development is just a load of shit.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 27 2015, @09:30PM
Because it's just a group of people, who have constitutional rights. Net neutrality doesn't violate first or fifth amendment rights, so that's nonsense.
However, if corporations weren't protected by the constitution, the government could just break into their buildings and copy data about all their customers, and violate our privacy to an even greater extent than they do now. And many other things, absent any specific laws.
(Score: 2) by Geotti on Sunday March 01 2015, @11:54PM
It's not a group of people. It's a corpo-fucking-ration.
And Bullshit. Your data is still protected and you can also have an entire set of laws handling corporate property (as in other countries).
(Score: 2, Funny) by Username on Friday February 27 2015, @08:34PM
Even major corporations are using it!
Maybe they’ll morse code back on the test.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by magamo on Friday February 27 2015, @08:37PM
Let's face it. We're using a regulation for this from 1934 because Title II was an extremely well thought out and forward thinking regulation, especially for its time. It's also extremely applicable to this situation. Sure, perhaps it should be updated somewhat for the times, but there's almost no point to doing so, because it still fits with today's utility and telecommunication landscape. It's in a similar vein to the US Constitution, should we throw simply because it's old? The US Constitution hasn't been updated since 1992, and that was with an amendment penned originally in 1789. Before that, no updates since 1971. Should we not utilize those laws and precepts because they are old, Verizon?
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday February 27 2015, @08:43PM
The Constitution is Sacred, made by God's men!
The 1934 regulations were made by evil Nazi-friendly anti-American commies...
(Score: 2) by dry on Friday February 27 2015, @10:40PM
Thing is the Constitution can use some more amendments, if only to clarify some of the Bill of Rights. Stuff like electronic papers still being papers and also what parts of speech that congress can legitimately regulate.
Currently you have the Supreme Court extending the Constitution willy nilly. Speech actually means political speech is an obvious example. Then there is stuff like the interstate commerce clause which was written much too broadly. Even simple things like making the Air force constitutional aren't done even though it is an example of an easy to pass amendment.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 28 2015, @07:38AM
Only one amendment should be necessary:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of commerce, nor preventing the free practice of such, as long as such enterprise causes no harm to any citizen or to the common environment.
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Saturday February 28 2015, @05:11PM
> as long as such enterprise causes no harm to any citizen or to the common environment
The word "harm" is your downfall.
Doing anything more complex than drinking water can be defined as harming the others or the environment in some way. You'd also better stay in place lest you walk on something.
Secondly: the protections of the US constitution do not apply only to "citizen[s]".
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Sunday March 01 2015, @12:38AM
Hey hey hey, you're forgetting about water toxicity [wikipedia.org]. People have died from drinking too much water!
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 27 2015, @08:41PM
Flood them with a few... million morse code emails.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Username on Friday February 27 2015, @08:57PM
Well, yeah, they would need to send a few million in order to have a decent conversation in email morse code. Long email, short email, long email, noemail, short email etc.
Unless they’re using text morse code in an email.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 27 2015, @08:51PM
4 Mbps download *is* broadband when most of your messages are in Morse code.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 27 2015, @08:51PM
I know we shouldn't expect any internally coherent logic from Verizon other than "whatever verizon wants is right" but still...
Verizon wants to be regulated under Title I (as they have been since the SCOTUS Brand X ruling in 2005 [wikipedia.org]).
So if Title II is from 1934 it stands to reason that Title I is at least as old as that too.
(Score: 2) by morgauxo on Friday February 27 2015, @10:28PM
What Verizon actually sent was nothing! This was the first rough draft of that press release, leaked by a 'totally reliable' source...
--- -- --. -. . - -. . ..- - .-. .- .-.. .. - -.-- -.- .. .-.. .-.. . -.. .-.. . --- -. .- .-. -.. -. .. -- --- -.-- -.-- --- ..- -... .- ... - .- .-. -.. ...
Their editors really did a great job of cleaning that one up and adding professionalism actually.
(Score: 2) by TheGratefulNet on Friday February 27 2015, @10:41PM
as we all know, morse code is the dots and dashes stuff.
morris code, otoh, is the secret language of cats.
(they typically have nothing at all to do with each other.)
"It is now safe to switch off your computer."
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday February 27 2015, @11:02PM
Incorrect [wikipedia.org], 'twas Navajo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 28 2015, @12:34AM
I've seen companies do this sort of thing before, and it generally causes the employees to cringe. Nobody likes being on the team with guy who talks trash but can't play. It makes me feel sorry for the employees of Verizon. I feel sorry for the employees of CC, every time I see their CEO speak in public too. I'm sure the staff wants to make things better, and knows how to do it. They are just prevented from doing so by executives who manage through leverage, and not leadership.
My guess is that if there was ANY hope of competing in these companies respective markets, both of them would see a mass exodus of employees and new competition in fairly short order.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Saturday February 28 2015, @03:58AM
FCC to Verizon: Play nice now Verizon, other people heve rights too.
Verizon: I'll do what I want and YOU can't stop me!
FCC: Really, Verizon, I'm not going to warn you again!
Verizon: Yeah? Well unless you paddle my ass, you better just shut up!
FCC: BEND OVER!
Verizon: WAAAAAAAAAHHHHH! WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!