And this is supposed to be a good thing? Why doesn't Bush & Co. just STFU, get the hell out of the way, fully deregulate telecommunications and let real, normal people carry the ball instead of the damn politicians and fatass bureaucrats? Big Stupid Government is still ordering parts for 20+ year-old systems! They are clueless about how to inexpensively implement cutting-edge technology.
Look at our cellphone infrastructure - years behind most of Asia and Europe, thanks to Big Stupid Government and their "need" to regulate and control every damn thing they can think of.
Up here in the sticks all I can get is ISDN and that is after millions in state and federal monies went to telecommunications companies with the mandate to expand newer digital services to the rural communities.
NOANET ( http://www.noanet.net/home-flash.shtml - "adavanced telecom and data transport for rural communities" ) was built, but still no DSL, Cable or even wireless. Fiber is close, but limited to POPs and "city" installations.
Hell no. Just pointing out the hypocrisy of it. If Kerry does it, it's criminal. How soon they all forget that Bush proposed the same thing.