high speed

[Guest guest]

In preparing for the launching of the Herbal Broadcasting Station later

this month, I have encountered some interesting technical/corporate

control issues that might interest you, especially if you are think

about getting a high speed internet connection.

 

Most high speed will be cable, in most analyst's opinions. However,

cable companies have a vested interest in controlling certain types of

content on their system. Specifically, independent streaming audio is

already blocked with what are called firewalls by many cable companies.

cable companies plan to make the big bucks selling content and this

won't work if there are freebies competing alongside. In all

likelihood, they will be forced to open access on their lines, but those

who also control their own ISP's will still be able to block content.

AOL (an example of an ISP) does the same thing already because they plan

to deliver content from their partner Time-warner.

 

On the other hand, the regular phone lines are fully open access by law

already. DSL, a high speed option that uses regular phone lines, is

thus also fully open access. If you use a small ISP that has no

corporate partners producing content, then you will get fully open

access at that end, too.

 

If your local phone provider does not provide DSL or if it seems very

expensive to you, try northpointdsl.com and covad.com

 

Also, if you plan to do business on the internet, cable is fast coming

in, but nothing special going out. So its not worth the extra expense

if you do more uploading than downloading.

 

The reason I care. You won't be able to hear to hear the free

broadcasts from Chinese Herbal Medicine if someone controlling your

connnection has other plans for you.

 

It is estimated that in ten years, 80% of americans will have cable

internet access and the rest DSL or some other open access. If this

happens, then corporations will control the internet, just like they do

the airwaves, by denying access to the full range of possible content to

the majority of americans. We should buck the cable trend and go with

DSL, then it will get cheap and better real fast.