6 ms·

It's good news. State-sponsored 5G in the USA would be great, and unprecedented. Hopefully we can agree on that.

by sova 9y ago

tlb 9y ago
Why? Obviously we all want faster mobile data, but how do you think the government will improve on what telcos would do on their own?
- throwawaygov3 9y ago
  Well, the difference is that I can’t vote AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon out in four years.
  - arenaninja 9y ago
    I have a hard time seeing how government would do a better job. When I didn't like my 4G coverage by T-Mobile I switched to AT&T, higher price but far better coverage. What recourse do you have against a government gone rogue except to wait 4 years? It sounds to me like you're describing a step backwards
    - deleted 9y ago
      [deleted]
  - hedora 9y ago
    I switched to tracfone. They’re run by a mexican firm at least as big and evil as any of the US telcos, but you can choose to use any one of the big three networks, and for about a third of less of what I paid before, so it must be dumping less $$$ into the ethical sink hole that is the cell phone industry. I strongly recommend sonic.net and unwired ltd if they have coverage where you are (sf, north and east bay, mostly) I wish municipal broadband was the rule in the US instead of the exception. It’s much easier to vote your local mayor out than it is to vote the president and majority of congress out, especially over a local government service issue.
- sova 9y ago
  China will get there faster if we leave it up to private commerce, because private commerce must strike a deal to build infra whereas the government can pass a bill. Imagine if highways were private endeavors, we'd never have a road system. Thank Eisenhower (and the threat of the missile attacks) for that. Assuming another [super]power achieves 5G first, not only will their network be faster, but they will control the manufacture of hardware, and could use that for whatever means they see fit.
  - hedora 9y ago
    Hey, now that cars are computerized, can play up the military risk of an EMP, and rebuild the rail system we ripped out?
anigbrowl 9y ago
Perhaps you could explain why you assume that to follow as a consequence of this action. as it is, your comment seems like a non sequitur.
- sova 9y ago
  In an effort to be brief I grouped all the thoughts on 5G in the USA together, but the State-sponsored 5G has nothing to do with this really. Many tech enthusiasts are actually advocating for a state-sponsored solution, however, and such moves have worked in the past for other nations (Australia was the first nation with 3G thanks to a state-sponsored move that has now been privatized [now run by Telestra]). As long as we're on the topic of 5G at all I figured I'd voice my support as a coder and generally well-informed individual.
chapill 9y ago
It's rather odd watching the same group that wants Net Neutrality and municipal broadband disagree with you. Trump's nationalized 5G idea is brilliant in that it consolidates all efforts, but also serves to protect freedom. Under the privatized approach we use now, wireless ISPs spy on us, and sell the data to the government. That's constitutional and legal, because the government didn't do the spying. Under a nationalized plan, it would be unconstitutional for the government to conduct dragnet spying. Do we drive on corporate owned highways? No, and we have the most extensive highway system in the world. For comparison, look how well privatized rail worked out. You're right. Privatized infrastructure sucks.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]
- mbreese 9y ago
  Do we drive on corporate owned highways A good chunk of the national interstate system consists of toll roads, some of which have been privatized (ex: Indiana Toll Road). And the quality of the interstate highways varies greatly by the state. I wouldn't hold out the US public highway system out as an example of how great public infrastructure is maintained...
  - KirinDave 9y ago
    "A good portion," you say? Is it 10%? 5?
    - drtz 9y ago
      Not sure I'd call it a "good portion" in this context, but it's 6.2% according to FHWA. > Today, the 46,730-mile Interstate System includes approximately 2,900 miles of turnpikes. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/tollroad.cfm https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/tollroad.cfm
      - mbreese 9y ago
        Depends on the states and the routes... good chunk in some regions, but unheard of in others. If you go from Philadelphia to Chicago, it's a toll-road the entire way (PA turnpike -> Ohio turnpike > Indiana tollroad -> Chicago). That's an outlier route, but toll roads aren't uncommon, especially in certain states.

It's good news. State-sponsored 5G in the USA would be great, and unprecedented. Hopefully we can agree on that.

by sova 9y ago

It's good news. State-sponsored 5G in the USA would be great, and unprecedented. Hopefully we can agree on that.

tlb 9y ago

Why? Obviously we all want faster mobile data, but how do you think the government will improve on what telcos would do on their own?

throwawaygov3 9y ago
Well, the difference is that I can’t vote AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon out in four years.
- arenaninja 9y ago
  I have a hard time seeing how government would do a better job. When I didn't like my 4G coverage by T-Mobile I switched to AT&T, higher price but far better coverage. What recourse do you have against a government gone rogue except to wait 4 years? It sounds to me like you're describing a step backwards
  - deleted 9y ago
    [deleted]
- hedora 9y ago
  I switched to tracfone. They’re run by a mexican firm at least as big and evil as any of the US telcos, but you can choose to use any one of the big three networks, and for about a third of less of what I paid before, so it must be dumping less $$$ into the ethical sink hole that is the cell phone industry. I strongly recommend sonic.net and unwired ltd if they have coverage where you are (sf, north and east bay, mostly) I wish municipal broadband was the rule in the US instead of the exception. It’s much easier to vote your local mayor out than it is to vote the president and majority of congress out, especially over a local government service issue.
sova 9y ago
China will get there faster if we leave it up to private commerce, because private commerce must strike a deal to build infra whereas the government can pass a bill. Imagine if highways were private endeavors, we'd never have a road system. Thank Eisenhower (and the threat of the missile attacks) for that. Assuming another [super]power achieves 5G first, not only will their network be faster, but they will control the manufacture of hardware, and could use that for whatever means they see fit.
- hedora 9y ago
  Hey, now that cars are computerized, can play up the military risk of an EMP, and rebuild the rail system we ripped out?

anigbrowl 9y ago

Perhaps you could explain why you assume that to follow as a consequence of this action. as it is, your comment seems like a non sequitur.

sova 9y ago
In an effort to be brief I grouped all the thoughts on 5G in the USA together, but the State-sponsored 5G has nothing to do with this really. Many tech enthusiasts are actually advocating for a state-sponsored solution, however, and such moves have worked in the past for other nations (Australia was the first nation with 3G thanks to a state-sponsored move that has now been privatized [now run by Telestra]). As long as we're on the topic of 5G at all I figured I'd voice my support as a coder and generally well-informed individual.

chapill 9y ago

It's rather odd watching the same group that wants Net Neutrality and municipal broadband disagree with you. Trump's nationalized 5G idea is brilliant in that it consolidates all efforts, but also serves to protect freedom. Under the privatized approach we use now, wireless ISPs spy on us, and sell the data to the government. That's constitutional and legal, because the government didn't do the spying. Under a nationalized plan, it would be unconstitutional for the government to conduct dragnet spying. Do we drive on corporate owned highways? No, and we have the most extensive highway system in the world. For comparison, look how well privatized rail worked out. You're right. Privatized infrastructure sucks.

deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
mbreese 9y ago
Do we drive on corporate owned highways A good chunk of the national interstate system consists of toll roads, some of which have been privatized (ex: Indiana Toll Road). And the quality of the interstate highways varies greatly by the state. I wouldn't hold out the US public highway system out as an example of how great public infrastructure is maintained...
- KirinDave 9y ago
  "A good portion," you say? Is it 10%? 5?
  - drtz 9y ago
    Not sure I'd call it a "good portion" in this context, but it's 6.2% according to FHWA. > Today, the 46,730-mile Interstate System includes approximately 2,900 miles of turnpikes. https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/tollroad.cfm https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/tollroad.cfm
    - mbreese 9y ago
      Depends on the states and the routes... good chunk in some regions, but unheard of in others. If you go from Philadelphia to Chicago, it's a toll-road the entire way (PA turnpike -> Ohio turnpike > Indiana tollroad -> Chicago). That's an outlier route, but toll roads aren't uncommon, especially in certain states.