Connected Nation, Created By Telco Lobbyists, Gets Millions In Gov't Funding To Hide Broadband Data From The Gov't

from the well-that's-helpful dept

Wed, Dec 23rd 2009 6:37pm — Mike Masnick

While many were surprised that the first few grants of broadband stimulus money did not go to the telco lobbyist boondoggle known as Connected Nation, you knew it had to come eventually. There were cases where Connected Nation was given deals despite being more expensive and having less experience. Or, in the case of Minnesota, the governor just decided the state should go with Connected Nation, before a state task force (appointed by the governor to explore this issue) could even weigh in.

So it should come as no surprise that (right before the holidays) it's been announced that a big chunk of broadband stimulus money is going to Connected Nation (including, of course, in Minnesota). It's a really sweet boondoggle. The operation was set up by telco industry lobbyists, with the claim that it will accurately map broadband penetration (an important factor in figuring out a broadband plan). But, rather than actually mapping the data, and actually revealing the details, Connect Nation basically hides and obfuscates the data in a way that protects the telcos. Aren't you glad that your taxpayer money is now being used to support this effort?

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Filed Under: boondoggle, broadband, broadband policy, broadband stimulus
Companies: connected nation

11 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 23 Dec 2009 @ 7:41pm

Go Obama...
...and don't come back.
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Haapi, 23 Dec 2009 @ 8:49pm

Re: Go Obama...
Obama? And you have NOTHING to say about Pawlenty and lobbyists? Really?
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Anonymous Coward, 23 Dec 2009 @ 10:42pm

Re: Re: Go Obama...
The grant was awarded by the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA). Given that the NTIA is an agency in Obama's cabinet and under his control, you question his responsibility? Really?
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Yogi, 24 Dec 2009 @ 1:36am

Fail
I fail to understand how the US has the largest, most robust economy in the world under these conditions.

I assume this position is only temporary and probably fading.
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ECA (profile), 24 Dec 2009 @ 2:10am

I wonder.
WHEN will it be ok to Give our representatives a TEST.
Of current knowledge and data base, Internet Information gathering?

I would LOVE to have BASIC requirements(certain games) to be NEEDED to even be considered RUNNING for office.
SIM CITY
CIVILIZATION
And a few others to name a few.

WE elect POLITICIANS..NOT real people. WHY?
Give me a person that has HAD a real LIFE, and elect THEM. NOT these Cloistered Individuals that havnt seen the WORK PLACE.
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Big Al, 24 Dec 2009 @ 5:11am

Re: Fail
Check out China...
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Chargone (profile), 24 Dec 2009 @ 7:04am

Re: Fail
well, there are those trillions of dollars worth of debt to consider... (not that I'm an economist or anything, but I'm really wondering how that's meant to help...)
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The Anti-Mike, 25 Dec 2009 @ 10:44pm

Stories like this make baby jesus cry
He cries mostly because they are as one sides as the groups they try to take down.

Mike, honestly: Do you think the reports would be any less biased the other direction if they were created only by people outside of broadband services areas, internet gurus, consumer advocates, and major P2P players?

No matter what, the "other side" will always find fault in what is going on.

I have to say that your self-linking on this one shows that you are trying very hard to make this into a much bigger hill of beans that it really is.

I have to ask, you say that:

Connect Nation basically hides and obfuscates the data in a way that protects the telcos

yet the contracts have been just announced. Are they that good that they produced the reports before even being selected?
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Dec 2009 @ 10:01pm

Re: Stories like this make baby jesus cry
yet the contracts have been just announced. Are they that good that they produced the reports before even being selected?

Nah, they're just so crooked that they produce reports before they even collect any data.
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anymouse (profile), 28 Dec 2009 @ 11:28am

Re: Stories like this make baby jesus cry
They use the inverse scientific method (or the Corporate Method (tm) if you prefer) for producing their reports.

1. Determine desired outcome (ie. more money for big telecom, limited funding for anyone else).
2. Design data model that satisfies requirement 1.
3. Create data (ie. make stuff up) that supports the model and outcome designed in step 2.
4. Push bogus 'reports' as facts. Repeat Over and Over and Over and Over and Over and Over until everyone has heard the bogus 'facts' and repeated them as 'accepted' facts.
5. Collect Government 'handouts' based on bogus data.
6. Profit.
7. Laugh all the way to the bank.

I'm going to patent the Corporate Method of problem solving, as it seems to get much more use than the Scientific method.
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Derek Kerton (profile), 4 Jan 2010 @ 1:13pm

Re: Re: Stories like this make baby jesus cry
Anti Mike,

"yet the contracts have been just announced. Are they that good that they produced the reports before even being selected?"

You fulfill your name in your post, as Mike has knowledge about this, and you don't. See these stories if you want to better understand Connected Nation's methodology:

http://www.techdirt.com/blog.php?company=connect+kentucky&edition=techdirt

Th ey actually do have a track record. The organization was formerly Connect Kentucky, and has grown from those roots.
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