Topic: Dsl

An analysis of net neutrality history suggests that the lack of regulation in the early 2000s allowed cable internet to flourish. The discussion argues that "common carrier" rules often stifle innovation and that the internet's growth was driven by unregulated market competition.

New "Online Competition and Consumer Choice" legislation aims to prohibit broadband providers from prioritizing certain internet traffic. However, exceptions for "national security" and "law enforcement" are noted as significant loopholes. Additionally, an FCC survey claiming DSL providers lie about their speeds is viewed as a biased report intended to promote cable broadband over other technologies.

John C. Dvorak reports ongoing technical issues with Comcast, citing significant packet loss despite high advertised speeds. He switched to a DSL connection from Sonic.net, which proved more stable for broadcasting despite lower bandwidth. The hosts conclude that cable infrastructure is often unreliable for real-time protocols like Skype due to intermittent connectivity and latency.

Adam Curry recounts his recent struggles with internet connectivity and his interactions with Time Warner Cable technicians. After several days of outages, a technician who was a fan of the show provided a free modem upgrade and personal contact information to ensure service stability.

Technical failures plague the start of the broadcast as Time Warner Cable connectivity issues force a reliance on an AT&T iPhone tethering setup. The connection in the Hollywood Hills remains unstable despite troubleshooting efforts, leading to a reduced stream bitrate of 24 kilobits. Frustration is expressed regarding the lack of infrastructure improvements by telecommunications companies despite receiving billions in tax dollars.

A segment of the TV show "Criminal Minds" is deconstructed for its numerous technical inaccuracies regarding fiber optics, DSL, and ISP procedures. The episode concludes with a quote from Google CEO Eric Schmidt describing the internet as a "large experiment in anarchy," which the hosts frame as ironic given Google's corporate nature.

A discussion regarding poor audio quality leads to a critique of AT&T DSL routers. The hardware is described as low-quality equipment that reboots whenever a new laptop connects to the network. There is a brief mention of the need for port forwarding to improve the Skype connection between the hosts.

Technical failures involving AT&T DSL lines and USB data sticks prevented the scheduled recording of a previous program. Despite being in downtown San Francisco, cable service from Comcast remains unavailable, leading to frustrations with customer service representatives. The reliability of mobile data bandwidth is also questioned when multiple users attempt to access the same transmitter simultaneously.

A technical troubleshooting session reveals that previous audio quality issues were caused by a MacBook Pro downloading podcasts via iTunes on a limited DSL line. The hosts discuss their lack of preparation for the current recording and their habit of not listening to their own shows once production is complete.