Topic: Fiber Internet

The hosts test new "In Search Of" (ISO) soundbites, including a clip of Richard Dreyfuss saying "they make me vomit." One host recounts a frustrating 20-minute ordeal trying to cancel Spectrum cable service, contrasting it with a positive, five-minute experience canceling a Verizon dongle. They criticize the "shameful" retention questionnaires used by cable companies.

A host describes upgrading to a 5-gigabit symmetrical fiber connection, noting significant improvements in audio quality and latency for the podcast recording. The conversation transitions into a retrospective on networking history, including 56k modems, ISDN, and the technical limitations of T1 lines. An anecdote is shared regarding Pacific Telephone technicians and the persistent issue of squirrels chewing through capsicum-laced wire coatings.

Reports of irregularities in the French election include videos of allegedly tampered ballots for Marine Le Pen. Following the election, France experienced coordinated sabotage of fiber optic cables in multiple locations, causing significant internet outages. The hosts discuss the vulnerability of physical internet infrastructure and the potential motives behind such attacks.

A producer shares technical details on using powerline adapters to extend internet access across a farm in rural Nebraska. The technology allows for daisy-chaining adapters up to 1,000 meters, providing an alternative to trenching or unreliable Wi-Fi in large outdoor areas.

President Obama visited Cedar Falls, Iowa, to promote faster broadband and municipal internet as a competitive advantage for U.S. cities. He compared U.S. speeds unfavorably to cities like Seoul and Tokyo, using an iPad to show a bar graph of download speeds. The hosts criticize the initiative as a push for government-regulated internet and note that Austin, Texas, which has very fast speeds, was omitted from the president's comparison.

"Curry's Law" is introduced: "The more technology is centralized, the more it enslaves us." This is contrasted with "Dvorak's Law" regarding hookers in a depression. The centralization of the internet through platforms like Facebook and Google is criticized, specifically noting that Google Fiber prohibits users from running their own servers, further stripping away the original decentralized nature of the internet.

Google is reportedly confirmed to bring gigabit fiber internet service to Austin, Texas, competing with established providers like Time Warner. The service is expected to cost approximately $70 per month for internet or $120 for a bundle including television and a tablet. Concerns are raised regarding the level of data control Google maintains over its subscribers through these infrastructure projects.