What is ViaSat's position on net neutrality? If the FCC votes to abandon net neutrality, will ViaSat self-impose its own standards to ensure continued quality of experience in accessing legal content?
Posted 2 years ago
Stephen Rice, Champion
I don't know about you boo boos, but I've got a 3-year agreement with Exede for the current plan that I'm on. Oops, I meant to say Viasatsat. I'm not worried one bit about this net neutrality bologna.
As long as I don't have to pay for your bologna, I'm good with it...
(Edited)
That’s cool. Always heard that those who didn’t value freedoms didn’t deserve them anyway.
I would think the free flow of capitalism and competition is more likely to keep the Net free and innovative then some pencil neck geek setting in a government office deciding your internet future.
(Edited)
Amen to that! If Viasat starts restricting sites, then Hughes will be able to pull customers away by not restricting content. And the other LEO constellations coming up will and can do the same to compete. "Free flow of capitalism and competition" has worked pretty good for this country, at least for us who aren't conspiracy nuts.
@bradley I think what you were thinking about came from Ben Franklin, I will paraphrase: If you give up freedom for security you get what you deserve.
@Jim16 If Viasat is following the law so also must Hughes. No way out man, we're screwed!
@Jim16 If Viasat is following the law so also must Hughes. No way out man, we're screwed!
Stephen Rice, Champion
Should make broadband access a government mandated utility like power and phone. I want city folk to pay for my access. I’m ok with guaranteed profits if I actually have broadband service.
I’m not against company partnerships. I’m not against synergies. I’m against the Mets, Patriots, and Celtics. Most especially the Duke Blue Devils.
I’m not against company partnerships. I’m not against synergies. I’m against the Mets, Patriots, and Celtics. Most especially the Duke Blue Devils.
I want city folk to pay for my access.
Well at least we know what you mean by an open and free internet so you're not really talking about freedom above ;)
Freedom is never free.
Not when you can get city folks to pay for it right?
Aren't you the same guy who wants to give up his privacy so that Viasat can provide hime with a detailed usage accounting???
Aren't you the same guy who wants to give up his privacy so that Viasat can provide hime with a detailed usage accounting???
(Edited)
It becomes subsidized and much cheaper at least.
Why should city folks subsidize your internet access or anything else for that matter?
(Edited)
ViaSat already has our detailed usage. They just don’t provide it. Privacy from our own info?
City folk need food to eat right? Country folk could just raise prices to pay for our own internet infrastructure I suppose lol.
City folk need food to eat right? Country folk could just raise prices to pay for our own internet infrastructure I suppose lol.
Maybe you should suggest that Viasat sell that info in return for free internet - you value no freedom.
Charging more to fund your own services is always an option regardless of wether you live in the country or city.
Charging more to fund your own services is always an option regardless of wether you live in the country or city.
(Edited)
I think you confuse privacy, freedom, and infrastructure. We have very little privacy. I have no quality infrastructure. I value the freedom to do as I choose with the limited internet infrastructure I have, knowing there is no privacy with what I’m doing.
Anyone who thinks we have choices or freedoms other than above don’t understand Hughesnet is not a choice and the Patriot Act.
Anyone who thinks we have choices or freedoms other than above don’t understand Hughesnet is not a choice and the Patriot Act.
I think you miss the point... privacy is a personal freedom.
Why are you so quick to discard it simply because a lack of privacy has now become the status quo? As you said elsewhere, freedom isn't free - is a fundamental personal freedom, privacy, no longer worth the cost of its defense?
Why are you so quick to discard it simply because a lack of privacy has now become the status quo? As you said elsewhere, freedom isn't free - is a fundamental personal freedom, privacy, no longer worth the cost of its defense?
(Edited)
Oh we probably would agree on this one philosophically, but I’m afraid we’ve ventured too far to turn the privacy thing around now. Maybe the next great society will take heed.
I thought about living off the grid, but it’s not worth the effort. I like shopping online too much :).
I thought about living off the grid, but it’s not worth the effort. I like shopping online too much :).
What?!? I've got solar and a wood stove heading to get off the grid.. So are you telling me I have to lose my internet to qualify? Please! Say it ain't true!
Bev, Champion
Yep, off grid means OFFLINE too. I like knowing I could do it in a matter of minutes if need be but, I'm not doing it unless I have to.
Stephen Rice, Champion
I wish I was off grid instead of eating a whole bulb of garlic a few minutes ago. Its going to be a bad night.
Bev, Champion
I'd rather have the garlic nightmares - no vampires at least. XD I like my entertainment and, my internet too well to dispose of both unless I have to.
xode0000, Champion
Yep, off grid means OFFLINE too.I fail to see why that would be the case. After all, for ViaSat (Exede) internet, all you need is electricity and you can have that even if you're off grid, as for example with solar and battery storage.
xode0000, Champion
Yep, off grid means OFFLINE too.I fail to see why that would be the case. After all, for ViaSat (Exede) internet, all you need is electricity and you can have that even if you're off grid, as for example with solar and battery storage.
For sure I will not give up my internet or my cell phone for that matter (I have electricity from my solar) but I fear I won't be allowed into the official "off the grid" club.
Brad, Viasat Employee
Typical non-answer. Grow a pair and take a stand. In the words of John Mellencamp... "if you don"t stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
Brad, Viasat Employee
Sorry for the semi-robotic answer Mike but that's all we're able to say. I don't want the legal team to rough me up...I've seen their brass knuckles and the nail studded baseball bats...no thank you!
But on a serious note, this is a hot topic and it's VERY easy to turn it into a political argument so since my answers and my fellow coworkers answers can be seen as a statement by the company we have to take careful and measured responses when addressing this topic (but feel free to converse with each other by all means). As a company we do not have a public stance on Net Neutrality and we will comply with all laws including those in place today.
But on a serious note, this is a hot topic and it's VERY easy to turn it into a political argument so since my answers and my fellow coworkers answers can be seen as a statement by the company we have to take careful and measured responses when addressing this topic (but feel free to converse with each other by all means). As a company we do not have a public stance on Net Neutrality and we will comply with all laws including those in place today.
Brad,
As a responsible company, I would EXPECT Viasat to comply with the letter of the law. The complaints need to be taken up with their congresspersons. As far as I am concerned, the Federal government has no business regulating the internet.
I would just like to remind people that when they go on line, there should be no expectation of privacy. If this is a concern, they should take measures to minimize their exposure.
As a responsible company, I would EXPECT Viasat to comply with the letter of the law. The complaints need to be taken up with their congresspersons. As far as I am concerned, the Federal government has no business regulating the internet.
I would just like to remind people that when they go on line, there should be no expectation of privacy. If this is a concern, they should take measures to minimize their exposure.
I get it Brad, I just would like to see more "pro-consumer" action from all American businesses. I believe that a company can be pro-consumer and still make a profit. I know that sounds a bit naive in this world of multi-billion corporate profits and obscene wealth for a few folks but one can always hope.
Gwalk900, Champion
xode0000, Champion
This is what I expect: just as I pick up the phone, call any number and get through to whatever might be at that phone number, including a disconnect message, I expect to go on the internet, put in any website address and pull that website up, whatever it may be. None of this "you are not allowed to see that website because you don't have the right plan," or anything like that. I also expect this to be the case even without the current "net neutrality" in place.
xode0000, Champion
The proposed FCC order to "remove net neutrality" is at: http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2017/db1122/DOC-347927A1.pdf
There's a key statement In that document, which is "the freedom to access lawful content." That is NOT being removed by this proposed FCC order. Further, the 1996 telecommunications act also supports "the freedom to access lawful content."
There's a key statement In that document, which is "the freedom to access lawful content." That is NOT being removed by this proposed FCC order. Further, the 1996 telecommunications act also supports "the freedom to access lawful content."
Psst hey here's a thought it'll get worse know why? Because think on it for a minute they already monitor your data and throttle it and control at what resolution you can view videos. THATS already breaking the net neutrality which is supposed to make all data treated equal.
xode0000, Champion
They are not blocking anything. Throttling doesn't break net neutrality. Blocking does. Please see my comment above. Further, you can get around the throttle very easily: simply download the high resolution video first and then watch it from your local file.
Psst! hey, bandwidth, (bitrate), determines your resolution. The 1st 150GB are not throttled. You could watch around 7 hrs of 2.1Gbyte/hour @24Fps movies with that amount of data.
(Edited)
Stephen Rice, Champion
The video throttling is no different than what the cell phone companies do. It is clearly disclosed upfront on all new service plans.
Those of us that are on older plans such as Classic and Liberty are not forced to have throttled video. We have the option to turn off/on video throttling and Exede/Viasat told us that as soon as the option became available.
Call it what you want, but it is not dishonest at all.
Those of us that are on older plans such as Classic and Liberty are not forced to have throttled video. We have the option to turn off/on video throttling and Exede/Viasat told us that as soon as the option became available.
Call it what you want, but it is not dishonest at all.
I wonder what you’ll call it when they pull a Verizon move and limit everyone? I can see ViaSat limiting video resolution on older plans during free zone or Liberty Pass.
I originally had the ability to stream 1080 with Verizon. One day they decided 720 was good enough for tablets and 480 for phones.
I originally had the ability to stream 1080 with Verizon. One day they decided 720 was good enough for tablets and 480 for phones.
xode0000, Champion
Again, blocking would be a problem for me but not throttling. If I'm not blocked I can simply download the video and watch it from a local file.
Old Labs (VS1-329-L12FZ)
https://openconnect.netflix.com/en/
I wouild assume this allows Viasat to better control the Netflix user experience for its subscribers and probably also explains how some of the video "optimization" is implemented and Netflix videos are "detected". Peering relationships are quickly becoming the norm - content providers need to adapt or die. In some cases at least, the are pro-consumer and beneficial.
Just my observations while trying to determine how video streams are "optimized" both on unlimited and Video Data Extender.
P.S. Regarding the original poster's question, the standar answer is a non-answer: