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America's largest internet providers have been asked to provide details of any price hikes or broadband restrictions they have placed on captive internet users during the pandemic.
In a letter from House Commerce Committee chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), as well as the chair of its technology subcommittee Mike Doyle (D-PA), the lawmakers cite the case of Comcast placing new data caps on internet users to ask the other ISPs what they have done to their customers.
Clearly Pallone and Doyle suspect broader restrictions and profit-seeking against millions of Americans stuck at and working from home. They make it plain they aren't happy about it.
"This is an egregious action at a time when households and small businesses across the country need high-speed, reliable broadband more than ever but are struggling to make ends meet," the letters to Altice, AT&T, CenturyLink, Charter, Comcast, Cox, Frontier, T-Mobile and Verizon note.
[...] There is nothing that lawmakers can do of course to force ISPs to lower prices, or remove caps, or waive fees - except ask embarrassing questions. And that's exactly what the letter does: "Did your company participate in the FCC's "Keep Americans Connected" pledge?" reads the first.
Then it asks: have you increased prices, do you plan on increasing prices? Did you have a data cap prior to March 2020? How about now? Have you disconnected any customers? Do you have a plan for low-income households? And so on.
How's your ISP been treating you recently? Any sign of the things mentioned here, good or bad?
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Tuesday January 12 2021, @07:31PM (4 children)
Today it is competing against private package delivery and couriers. It wasn't meant to compete against anybody. It exists to provide a reliable secure service. And now we need it to expand into internet and banking services. Everything depends on how the voters want to run it. They have to seek out and appoint competent people to mitigate the effects of deep pockets
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 12 2021, @07:44PM (3 children)
TOP. MEN.
Tell you what, you get the competent people running things, and I'll reconsider my position on whether the USPS is well suited to take on additional roles.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by fustakrakich on Tuesday January 12 2021, @07:57PM (2 children)
:-) You have to do it yourself, during the primaries, even before... democracy is high maintenance.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 12 2021, @08:16PM (1 child)
You let me know who's running on the platform of abolishing their own office and I'll be sure to vote for them.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Tuesday January 12 2021, @08:31PM
You can find somebody. In fact it would be a winning platform. And if nobody volunteers, there's always conscription, like jury duty... In fact, that sounds like a good idea. Make the legislature a community service job. I think it's time to remind these people they are there to serve. In and out, nobody gets hurt.
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..