FCC votes to bring faster internet to US schools The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has voted to overhaul its E-rate program, which subsidizes internet and telecommunications access for schools and libraries, with a goal of facilitating greater availability of modern, high-speed wired and wireless networks. "Preparing our nation's students with the skills they …
"A 2010 survey of E-rate applicants revealed that half had internet connections that were slower than the average American home"
So how does their speed rate against the speed of the median American home? I have to figure the home net connections of Larry Ellison, Sergei Brin, et al does a bit to skew the speed of the average American home. Would it be too presumptuous to assume that homes without fixed, even broadband perhaps, internet access aren't included in the sample?
"Moreover, the agency's own survey indicates that 80 percent of schools and libraries believe that their broadband connections do not meet their current needs."
Given similar self evaluations, what percentage of home users think their internet connection meets their current needs? Personally since my upload speeds are on par with, if not slower than a good dialup connection I would say it doesn't but then I live with it because a subsidy isn't forthcoming based on my opinion.
Meh, just work a deal with Google, high speed internet and monitoring for the school in exchange for ads with little pop-ups of content here and there. Have to prepare these kids for the future, right?
So true! The proper way to provide jobs to the population is certainly not to make sure it gets a better education and training than the rest of the world in important technologies like the Internet; it is to make new laws that forbid US companies from outsourcing jobs!
No wonder they prefer to hire foreigners.
1) Buy hundreds of enterprise grade routers and pocket sales commission
2) Legislate local telcos out of business to eliminate interference
3) Auction off vague but exclusive telco contract for highest bribe, um, I mean commission
4) Create expensive contracting agencies to oversee progress
5) Drain local subsidies of all funds to cover "unforeseen problems" and "regulations"
6) Say it's "almost done" and ask voters for more money
7) Leave town and repeat in another state
The status quo is still selling the bullshit line that using the internet makes you smarter... they've clearly been successful making idiots feel good. It's quite rare (for the most part bullshit, as well) that you can get an education using a computer interface. You may be able to gather facts, and have it "compute" for you, but people learn from people and the most important thing they learn from other people is how to learn. They actually called it a "smart phone" for a reason, not a smart person tool... the achievment for technology is already there. The only reason for more bandwidth is to make the internet dumber (i.e. keep pushing pretty pictures and advertisement)... more and more in "motion picture form". They have to keep a certain % of thier own populace dumb... who else would continue to buy the poop culture produced? Or continue to vote for either of the two halves of the same basic "capitalist" party and still believe there's a significant choice? C'mon... don't you also want to be cool?
The Register 
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998–2025
