A Friendly Phone Call?

Unsolicited phone calls that inform you there is a problem with your computer!

Here is the scenario; you are sitting at home, possibly even at your computer and the phone rings. The person at the other end identifies themselves as tech support for some company. Sometimes even a major player like Microsoft or Comcast. They inform you that they have detected a problem with your computer and they can help you fix it. Often expounding on the dire consequences you may suffer if you don’t take care of this right away. They are very concerned and will wait while you go to your computer and log in.

Well now isn’t that special! Isn’t it nice to know that there are still some helpful people in this world? Not so fast, these “helpful” people are not trying to help you at all. They are trying to help themselves, at your expense!

Once they get you online they direct you to a certain website. As soon as you click the link they have access to your machine. From this point they can see anything you have and install anything they want. Either way it won’t be good for you!

Microsoft isn’t going to call you about a problem with your machine. It doesn’t work that way. You have to call them if you have a problem. Comcast and most other ISP’s will disconnect you if they notice inappropriate behavior from your account. You will find out you have a problem when you suddenly don’t have any Internet access anymore. Then you call them and get the bad news.

The truth is that if you didn’t initiate the call it’s a scam! Legitimate service providers may call you back but only once you make the initial contact.

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Net Neutrality Goes Off Course!

Last month the DC District Court of Appeals handed down a decision on Net Neutrality. It was not a victory for the little guy. They gave the FCC everything it wanted, conversion of the Internet into a public utility with the FCC as overlord. The court upheld the FCC’s reclassification of broadband as a Title II telecom service instead of a Title I information service. It also allowed sweeping mobile broadband into Title II as well.

This is very different, in fact contrary to the original draft proposed in 2015. You can expect new regulations for years to come. And the added expense that comes with the new regulations.

Some common misconceptions about Net Neutrality;

• Internet Service Providers cannot restrict your access to any legal content on the Internet.
• Internet Service Providers must allow you full access to all services, applications and content available on the Internet.
• Internet Service Providers transmit all data without regard for the content, senders or receivers.

Buried deep in the four hundred page ruling is a clause that allows an exception for “Reasonable Network Management”. And Reasonable Network Management is not defined. (Do you want to try and define reasonable to the FCC?)

The bottom line is that nothing has changed. You can be limited or restricted and trying to prove that it wasn’t just “reasonable network management” will be an uphill battle on slippery ground.

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