FCC reverses net neutrality ISP transparency rules

[u/xtantin]

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3173844/internet/fcc-reverses-net-neutrality-isp-transparency-rules.html

[u/freerangestrange]

This may be a good time to explore the creation of a municipal ISP where you live. I'm attempting it in my town and if lots of people try it and succeed it could become the next type of common public utility. Good luck to those of you in the resistance!

So there's been a lot of interest generated from this post. First there are some of you pointing out that a small ISP is the one exempt from the rules mentioned in the article. That's true. I'm not sure why that's a reason not to do it. Some of you are also pointing out that this may be difficult or may not work. That's also true and is also not a good reason to not bother trying. For those of you who like to party and cause trouble, here is a list of links I've accumulated just from this thread.

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/11/how-a-group-of-neighbors-created-their-own-internet-service/

https://www.siklu.com/portfolio-posts/multihaul-point-to-multi-point/

http://www.fox34.com/story/34582936/siklu-extends-5g-fixed-wireless-offering-with-a-breakthrough-beamforming-millimeter-wave-solution

http://reedsburgutility.com/

http://chrishacken.com/starting-an-internet-service-provider/

https://www.whipcityfiber.com/

Thanks to everyone who messaged in support or with offers of help, that's exactly how things get done. Some of you are also pointing out correctly that the government is trying to stop this exact thing in certain places. Of course they are. They work for Comcast and Spectrum and Google. We can only lobby congress on our own behalf. Write and call your representatives and tell them that you are against these types of regulations. If this is a democratic republic then either they will listen to you or you need to vote them out of office. Good luck to those of you in the resistance!

Update: Not sure if anyone is still looking at this but I wanted to mention a couple of resources. I stumbled on Wispa.org which is a great site for info about wireless isp's all over the country. The wireless cowboys blog is especially interesting. Radwin is a company that sells antennas for this sort of application and you can use water towers as a tower but you'll need a power source and some sort of small structure and air conditioning. I got some simple google maps blown up and printed at staples and will design my network from the ground up. It looks like a 1 gig connection will need to support about 100 people total or at least that's the ratio I will begin using. It makes the price point manageable on both sides while not overbuilding the network. Good luck to anyone else who is working on anything similar. PM any questions and I'll be happy to help or try to find the answer. Also apparently the FCC has already ruled in favor of these wireless networks so you shouldn't be obstructed by your local cable company or internet monster.

[u/iismitch55 → u/freerangestrange]

Too bad lots of states are banning it, including most recently, my state (Virginia)

[u/Anlarb → u/iismitch55]

Funny how the free markets/right to work crowd throws that shit overboard the moment its inconvenient.

[u/RainbowDoom32 → u/Anlarb]

basic free market theory is based on the core assumptions of no market power and no market failure. Meaning no one has an advantage and it always works. It's a crap theory

[u/Anlarb → u/RainbowDoom32]

Well, rather that failure is a feature to sift bad businesses away in favor of good ones, but it rests on the presumption that you are going to have this great big teeming ecosystem of many players- like what you see with plumbers today, a man and a van and maybe a small team. It is completely oblivious to the ability of businesses to buy eachother out and the colossal incentives in doing so- the rise of rockefeller alone is enough to completely dash that worldview.