So Long AT&T. I will not reward your Preditory Actions ! Hello Sprint & Android Phones!

Despite all the things that I was not told when I bought the original iPhone and required data and text message plans, the most important one being you must pay for a data plan for the life of the iPhone. Funny, I did not read that in my contract but I’m sure they poked it in there while I was under a 2 year contract with them (the only way to get a iPhone or iPhone service).

Most important Moot Point I have to make here is I do not love my iPhone enough to reward AT&T’s bad behavior ! I now have two iPhones I use as Paper weights and on occasion, as a iPod. I had to break out a old Motorola RAZR and call AT&T to tell them I made the switch and to cancel my data and text plans. Gee if I only had a Voice over IP app, WiFi coverege is better than AT&T’s coverage and would not need them at all. Anyway…

Apple could be next on my list as I will not get suckered into anything bearing their mark that requires a contract unless it has some absoluteness to it (is that even possible now-a-days?) or in this case un-absolutness that I may switch to a new carrier if I am unhappy with the one I have to buy it through.

Let’s look at what got us to this point in a time line that I can’t be specific but points out the sequence of events.

Apple creates a cool device and initially contacts Verizon a CDMA cell carrier about a exclusive deal to be the only supplier cell company. Talks break down as Apple wants a cut of money from data services.

Apple approaches AT&T for the same deal and they accept but before anyone knows about the product, AT&T buys several other cell company’s utilizing the same GSM cell phone technology giving them a mass monopoly on this amazing new gadget that has no name yet that Apple must now re-design for GSM cell networks.

AT&T sells iPhone (2G tech/EDGE) exclusively. One must pay $450 + and submit to a 2 year contract that includes a data and text message plan. minimum commitment is about $70 for 450 min of phone service per month and unlimited data and text for 2 years. but what after contract?

Apple gets upset with AT&T for not being able to provide planed upgrade features to the newest gadget iPhone like tethering and is quickly pulled from the very next software update. The” iPhone 3G S” employs HSPA, a flexible high speed data capability. AT&T can not deliver.

Behind the curtain, Apple makes a deal with Verizon to have a CDMA technology version of the phone but CDMA will not support the speed requirements of the future of the iPhone features/apps/programs so a new system is devised and is to be implemented known as LTE.

Verizon buys Alltel Wireless as they know the future can be theirs as you can not use a iPhone from AT&T on their system so folks will have to buy a new iPhone if they wish to switch carriers. (profits profits!) Meanwhile they embrace Android OS platform smartphones like DRIOD.

AT&T now requires data plan for the life of a iPhone on their networks even if you are not in contract and if you are in a area where they do not even provide fair 2G speeds and have a 3G iPhone, your minimum data plan with minimum phone/data plan will cost you about $90 a month without text messaging.

In advance of iPhone 4 and iOS 4.0, AT&T moves to metered data plans in the hopes to make some profits to provide the 3G service they promised 2 years ago in most areas and now promising 4G service to the network and mostly not quite delivering the old EDGE data speeds (2G) unless you live in a larger city area.

My outlook for AT&T is bleak as they are to far behind in this data delivery game and now seem to be a very weak player to be able to deliver anything that might resemble a promising future of a cell phone company and this is not to mention the maintenance costs of the traditional aging land line based phones.

My outlook for Verizon is a bit better as they seem to be selling off their land based company’s that are not profitable for them but someone is going to e left without service when these company’s eventually fail.

So, the future is SPRINT !

Why? because they have no land based outdated wire systems that are high maintenance and are embracing Android based smartphones like the “HTC EVO 4G” and are not switching to metered data plans as they still offer a $99 unlimited voice and data plan and have a network that can deliver that data but we shall see if they are able to deploy 4G speeds to more than 50% of their network in the next 2 years.

In any case, once again, if you buy this phone you will be stuck using it through Sprint only, there is no carrier based on their technology. A plus for Sprint is they offer the EVO 4G phone at $449 and No Contract. This allows you the freedom to switch if they do not deliver but of course, you will need to buy a new phone to switch carriers.

All of that being said, it is not funny that a cell carrier can make folks think they are deploying all this high speed technology on their networks for years and not deliver it to 50% even 2 years after. My phone is outdated before you deploy the technology to use it correctly. I pay the same rate as those enjoying 3G but can’t get 2G enough to make it worth even $20 a month and they tell me I can’t cancel it even while I am not under any contract?. I do not mind paying for something that works but to be told I have to pay for something that does not is to much for my ideals.

So do the carriers have a monopoly…. Absolutely… You can not take your iPhone to Verizion, It’s just not possible. T-Mobile does not serve my area (the only other GSM carier) even if AT&T did not have a exclusive on the phone. Now see this with Verizon with Driod, and Sprint with EVO 4G, and T-Mobile and Goggle G1.

The FTC, FCC, Congress will not act on this. I guess it is like the banks and oil company’s self regulating. No action until failure of the system. But when one of these fails, it will only mean a merger will save the day till maybe only 2 company’s exists. Then What ?

What is embarrassing to me as an American, to look at half a dozen other country’s cell coverage, speeds and the number of competing carriers is so high and service so good, it’s not a wonder it is cheaper than in the U.S.

The in-action of regulation here is putting this country at a technological disadvantage and most consumers do not even know they are missing the boat as they seem to be pacified with a cool gadget even if they do not know the service is not half what it was meant to be .

So I will continue to collect these high priced techno paper weights but the next batch will undoubtedly be Android Platform Phones where I am also free to develop my apps for my use and do not have to get someones approval to use the device in a way that I see fit which is a new issue all together.

If it sounds like I am endorsing Sprint or Android it is because I am, at least till something else changes in the market that I do not see happening before Oct 2010 and most likely Nov 2011 And I have been weary of spending more time servicing my iPhone and my iPhone carrier than they spend servicing me !

Energy, National Security And The Environment – BP, Pensions And Finger Pointing

– This post is not a sound bite but a SOUND BYTE. Please read/watch associated links.

The US Minerals Management Service oversees US natural resources.

Least we say this is a big mess that will get worse before getting better. But it is the effect having a political cause many years ago.

Congress, mostly Republican but many Democrats being lobbied by big oil failed to provide proper regulatory protection years ago. Their words summed up in a single statement “The Oil Companies are perfectly capable of regulating themselves with out the Government interfering”.

What kind of hardships could the company possibly have to cut cost and safety on a oil rig of this size and risk while the average price of oil is three times the price it was profitable for them just a few years ago? Where did the money go ? The shareholders did not even see a tenth of the increased profits. Someone is pilfering a bunch of money here in the name of future exploration! Seems to me that this was the same maintenance story on the Alaskan Pipeline a few years ago.

So is it any wonder we are where we are today with this oil spill in the Gulf Of Mexico. No, it was simply a matter of time before we got here. This seems to be the same story we can easily see with the banking and health insurance industries. Fail to regulate or remove regulation and it’s only a short time before market forces create a hole in the taxpayer’s wallet along with job depletion, tax revenue loss that the rest of us must make up for.

It’s funny to hear those that keep telling us the government should stay out of making rules for business, want the government to do something here. Gee… I’m confused ??? Would it not have been better for us, the environment, jobs and taxes that we did just a little regulation and had a few real watch dogs to be sure they were in compliance.

It’s funny we never learn from history and history should be a requirement for Congress. Where do we go from here?

I do not think it would be to much to ask for those redundant systems to be tested twice a year to be sure the oil flow of a oil well could be shut down and the MMS should be there documenting each and every one as a matter of public record.

To be fair to big and small oil drilling company types, a 5 cent per barrel (not 5 percent but .00002%) tax of that oil to go into a common fund that is a insurance for the future of a rapid response team properly engineered and equipped to handle such a future problem.

President Obama is getting a bad rap as many of the Republicans who fought the proper regulatory structures years ago are trying to put the blame on him now for their lack of action. But even after his speech from the oval office I do not think he connected with the people.

I can see he is hesitant to promote a solid alt energy plans for the U.S. until he has all of his ducks in a row. But when he does, if he does not have a clear plan, talk directly to the people and ask for their help to achieve a single solid goal, it will be a failure. You simply can not treat this as he did with health care.

While it does seem embarrassing to the President that he had opened the door for more offshore drilling, it is easily understood as the need for a intermediate supply for domestic demand to further reduce trade deficit, and is also a national security issue. Politically it was also smart as it was sure have been a issue for the Republicans in the next election. So he did their work (for different reasons) for them and is getting burned for it by them.

BP promises to pay damages and while we do not want to bankrupt the company, I have been hearing a bunch of talking heads say we should not be so hard on them because many pension plans have investments in the company. Now what kinda hogwash is that? They invested because of high yield money that comes with a amount of equal risk. To not take a measure of penalty to the stockholders would be to subsidize all risk investments. This keeps appropriate pressure from shareholders to the company for not doing risky things to the bottom line of a company so it is clear that this thinking would be total BS. Should we not take action to the banks because of pension plans ? This thinking is just ludicrous.

So, MR President, Please come up with a goal and outline/requirement to get us off of the OIL FAUCET and ask for our help and you will be blessed with our help as nobody who understands the National Security Issue of this will deny you. 10 year plan and a 20 year goal would be nice. One that required that for every “NEW” megawatt electric generation capacity constructed, 25 percent must be in renewable formats increasing to 50 percent of “New Capacity Constructed” in 10 years. That leaves the existing system in place and insures that at least in ten years of half of new generation plants must be constructed renewable.

We simply must have home grown capacity or we are doomed to be fighting somewhere in the world to ensure that the oil keeps flowing uninterrupted. Even our trade deficits would shrink along with our budget deficits. How do you fight a war without your own supply of energy that would skyrocket in price when a big one should breakout.

Gee do not take my word for it, watch and listen to a 2008 Republican Senate Committee Hearing

So what lobby group will win the day? I hope it is the American People !

Small Banks And Credit Unions Fight Cost Shifting To Consumers

This Video Speaks for itself. Video Page Link

This is only the view of the small creditors and debit card issuers but I don’t think you will get the big box stores side of it unless it be the stewed version they are giving congress.

WebCast on the Debit Amendment

June 9, 2010 – 10:30 AM EDT

Toyota’s Unwanted Unintended Acceleration Problem Explained

For many years I myself have been angry about the FCC rules being relaxed about 20 years ago with regard to Part 15 Interference between devices.
The relaxed rules simply are no rules or standards that a device must be able to withstand some amount of RF energy before acting improperly.
This was to allow manufactures to not have to pass any tests and remove shielding in a cost cutting move.

This was not such a big deal when it happened as there were not 1/1000 the RF transmitters and not near as many potential receivers to interfere with but still I seen this at the time to just change the argument pitting neighbor against neighbor as if either one would really know why they could not watch their soap-opera when one of them was using a 2-way radio.

Times have changed and most devices that could cause interference and receive interference have increased and show no sign of not doubling every 2 years. Just watch and see how many iPads are sold in the first week when they are released to have a clue. Yes these devices just like the Kindle have a GSM cell phone embedded in them.

Now with 2 new problems to mention:
1 – Many of these devices are digital in nature
2 – Many of the new electronics have our lives in their control. i.e. cars and other transportation systems like Aircraft and Subways/Trains

Now take into account that the Toyota’s that are in the most hot water for doing things that they just should not be doing on their own. These cars are a FLY-BY-WIRE. Meaning that many of them do not have a direct mechanical control but the steering along with the accelerator and brakes are completely under computer actuation with computer controlled servo motors.

While I will take Toyota’s at their word that the computer systems on board function 100% correct, this would be without any outside influence of RF signals getting into the computer or its other on-board micro-controller systems that communicate with it.

All of this brings us to a new chapter in what type of rules we need going forward as the FCC is currently making new plans for mobile broadband including frequency & modulation standards for whole new groups of digital signals including Video for mobile broadband.
What is needed of the FCC here is at the same time they are making these plans, To Renew And Revise Part 15 and set some level of a standard of RFI resistance for devices that could have a life or death impact if a interference issue arise.

I’m sorry, I just don’t trust a company to ensure this on their own or we would not be speaking of it in the first place as this issue has been out there for at least 10 years.

How am I to feel safe knowing one of these steer by wire cars is driving down the lane towards me and some trucker with a CB radio using a illegal power amplifier and a improperly tuned antenna starts yakking on it and that car could steer into me when the driver looses control at no fault of his own!

As happens from time to time, a amplifier in a cell tower or paging transmitter begins to breakdown and becomes spuratic (sending many unwanted signals) that does commonly happen and there are rules against this but how would anyone know it caused your car or plane to crash. What about a Cable TV system becomes leaky near its in line amplifiers used to keep signal levels up as the line gets longer.

Yes there must be new rules to govern any digital electronic systems with regard to Radio Frequency Interference ( RFI ) resistance when lives are at risk. I am sure this has happened 100’s of times and the real cause was never found.

So here is a set of YouTube Videos from TheMidnightEngineer in a rather boring but informative explanation of how this is happening with the Toyota’s in question.

Part 1 – Background FCC/Digital Radio Electronics/Anatomy of Car Electronics Control

Part 2 – Digital Interference In On-Board Systems

Banking Failure, A NEW Perspective – The Cause, A Matter Of Record Pt1

Some Congressman are calling on accountability, I plan to help them out !

As there is much footage and information now in digital form on the web, we can now dig up video footage to show where current events problems came from in their root and what politicians were promoting them.

So for my first task, the banking collapse (still in process) that has had an effect on every American Not to mention costing multi-trillion dollars to the world economy that directly impact our ability to export goods.

I find that you can not fix or stop a repeat of a problem unless you understand where it came from.

Now President Obama does not want to finger point (he didn’t tell me not to) and I do not want to accuse anyone of anything so let the file footage and congressional records speak for itself in their own words because there is plenty of blame to go around…

It is undisputed that the first enabler for the collapse of the banking system was the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act. A act that was created from the last banking collapse in the early 1930’s that lead to the “Great Depression” .

the bill was called “Financial Services Modernization Act of 1999”

Here is a full list who voted for it in the House and Senate.

Here is a short list of some still in office that Voted Yea/For:

Boenher (R-OH), McCain (R-AZ), Gramm (R-TX), Specter (R-PA now independent), Kasich, (R-OH), Shuster (R-PA),

Lugar(R-IN)

Confusing as it is to me Nancy Pelosi(D-CA) Did Not Vote On This. Politically safe???

Also worth noting, At least 5 (I can’t confirm 6 & 7) of the members voting Yea are currently serving prison terms.

J.Trafficant (D-OH)-bribery and racketeering &Already out, B.Ney (R-OH)-corrupt dealings with now-convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Bob Ney was the Main Sponsor of the bill, R.Cunningham (R-CA)-Taking $2.1m+ Bribes, W.Jefferson (D-LA)-Bribery+++, Tom Delay(R-TX)-money-laundering,

Also Worth noting Some of Those still in office Voting Ney/Against:

Rockefeller (D-WV), Biden (D-DE), Kerry (D-MA), Reid (D-NV), Dodd (D-CT), Kennedy (D-MA)(recent death),

Kapture (D-OH), R.Byrd (D-WV), M.Waters (D-CA), R.Paul(R-TX),

List of the Bills Sponsors (those promoting the idea/need of the legislation):

Spencer Bachus [R-AL6]

Richard Baker [R-LA6]

Michael Castle [R-DE]

Merrill Cook [R-UT2]

Sue Kelly [R-NY19]

Peter King [R-NY3]

Steven LaTourette [R-OH19]

Rick Lazio [R-NY2]

James Maloney [D-CT5]

Bill McCollum [R-FL8]

Robert Ney [R-OH18]

Marge Roukema [R-NJ5]

So it’s bill signing day Nov. 12 1999 and here is the what the politicians had to say about this so-called victory for the American People…

Please stop back as there is surely going to be a part 2 & 3 for this topic.

Were tak’n names and making a hit list !

There is a election coming !

More on MONEY=FREE SPEECH… I have a solution !

Some after thoughts on several post ago…

So we had pointed out the fact that the High Courts decision leaves a national security hole in our constitutional government as now any multinational company may sway a election with as many millions of dollars they see fit.

Not having proper time to totally digest the implications of this, I have left out some other important points and a solution…

The biggest point I left out of the equation is that this will save Corporate America 100’s of millions of dollars now !

You herd it right, it will save them millions probably billions on lobby spending.

How is that you say?

Now they do not have to spend the money to get what they want. They only have to threaten to spend money against the elected to sway a Congressman’s Vote. Yes the mere threat is all they need. It’s like having a loaded gun to your head. They do not need to use it, just the fact that they have it and can use it is enough. Save them plenty of money. Only time we will have a clash is when two opposing company’s have the money and conflicting interest. I wonder what will happen then?

On a different note, not one scholar can seem to figure out where the court came up with this as they pulled the case before them and made argument that was not being made in the case. This leads me to believe that while all of us were kept busy worried if a court nominee was liberal or conservative, no one was asking if they were Neo-Capitalist !

So what do we the people do ? If a company has the same rights as a citizen and they can spend as much as you and money is equal to free speech and congress can take no action against the first amendment?

WE THE PEOPLE ! remember that clause, well the founding fathers did give the people a way out almost as they could have predicted this event over 225 years ago !

We The People can “Amend the Constitution” and decide that corporations who did not have a unalienable right to vote have no rights as a citizen as they are not a living being and were originally created and chartered to serve the public interest can not contribute 1 dollar to any election campaign.

But it would be good to ensure that Congress can not take away in part or whole any amendment coming from “THE PEOPLE”. So that should be added to it also.

Again… where are you Gerry Spence ? I need you ! Come Off That Damn Mountain, this is what you were born for !

I’m about to do a one man march on Congress, The Court and Wall Street for good measure in my work clothes (without job) and pitch fork in hand and a sign that says “The Banks Took My Job And Now I Can Not Afford Enough Free Speech To Change My Situation” Could You Please Lend Me Some Free Speech?”

If I can not afford free speech, I surely will never be able to afford to eat !

I will be open for comments on this one so please be civil !

Recent Posts