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Congressman Jose Serrano is bringing FCC Chair Genachowski to Per Scholas, a community group in the Bronx 1 p.m. Monday.  I've been considering what's the right question to focus on some real issues. Update after the event: Despite saying there would be a Q & A, they "ran out of time" and I didn't get to ask Julius the questions. Congressman Serrano did give me a few minutes, and that resulted in my item http://fastnetnews.com/docsisreport/163-c/2541-congressman-serrano-low-speed-lifeline-qabsolutely-unacceptableq  End update
    “Is Back of the Bus broadband acceptable for the poor?” I'll ask the Congressman. There's a good chance the “lifeline broadband” will look like the NCTA Adoption Plus suggestion that was strongly backed by Jim Cicconi of AT&T.  That's carefully designed to offer a fig leaf to the broadband plan while not serously threatening the cash cow video
business. Only 1/6th of the poor would be eligible for a short term Internet connection at speeds too low for standard video. They want a pile of government money as part of the deal. Nate Anderson of Ars - who constantly outreports the Washington Post – noticed the price they asked was higher than the current promotions at Verizon and AT&T.
     For Genachowski, I'll probably ask “As we move to objective, data-driven policy, just what are the results we are seeing. In the first Obama year, how much did the basic price of broadband and telephone service go up or down? How many of the “unserved” broadband homes were newly offered service?” Obama's prime FCC goal to to bring broadband to everyone and make it affordable, but I haven't seen anything like an objective measures of results.  My best information is that the last year has been the worst since 1998 in extending broadband to the “unserved”. Several large carriers have raised, not lowered their prices. AT&T California just raised basic phone prices 22% (LA Times).
      If I get a second question, it will be “what percent of the broadband lifeline you've supported will directly help the poor and what percent will go to the bottom line of the carriers.” Wall Street's Craig Moffett estimates that 10 megabit broadband's marginal cost is about $8 and contribution margins 80%. Free Press believes paying more than $10 for lifeline is a carrier subsidy; I'd use a higher figure ($15 or so, 50% margins) but am horrified by the general assumption that subsidies will be much higher and the speed probably crippled. I wrote http://fastnetnews.com/stim/179-s/2188-save-half-on-broadband-subsidies-dont-pay-retail-for-a-million-lines on the topic, which resonated with several in D.C.
     There's nothing wrong with making a profit helping the poor, but the main benefits of a program for the poor should not go to Brian Roberts and Randall Stephenson's shareholders. Cui Bono, Julius of the Supreme Court? Julius is a great guy who's done a remarkable job improving morale at the FCC but the real test is results.