FCC plan would give Internet providers power to choose the sites customers see

Re:FCC plan would give Internet providers power to choose th... by logfromblammo on Tuesday November 21, 2017 @02:41PM (#15750883)

FCC instituted rules in 2008 abolishing the payola-style deals that stifle ISP competition in apartment buildings [0], but in the biggest surprise ever, the apartment owners and would-be-monopolist ISPs have been avoiding compliance by hiding the exclusivity part of their contracts. The apartment owner simply leaves open the prospect that another ISP could install access, but never actually allows them to do so. Or they make the now-legally-unenforceable exclusivity clauses of their contracts severable, but those enforcing the entire contract never actually know which of the clauses in it are invalid. So the clauses continue to be enforced in practice, by people who do not know they should be ignored.

If you can't get competing services in your apartment complex, get a lawyer and sue the owner.

[0] https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280908A1.p...

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:FCC plan would give Internet providers power to choose th... by lotsofpulp on Tuesday November 21, 2017 @03:36PM (#15751301)

Getting a lawyer and suing the owner is not a reasonable thing to ask of people living in apartments.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:FCC plan would give Internet providers power to choose th... by logfromblammo on Tuesday November 21, 2017 @04:03PM (#15751521)

No, it isn't, but nor is it reasonable for an apartment owner to establish service monopolies on their property at the expense of their renters.

What alternative would you suggest?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:FCC plan would give Internet providers power to choose th... by s73ver_ on Tuesday November 21, 2017 @07:19PM (#15753035)

Violent armed revolution?

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:FCC plan would give Internet providers power to choose th... by jessaustin on Wednesday November 22, 2017 @07:09AM (#15756164)

Finally!

[ Parent | on HN ]