The United States of AT&T Wants Satellites Now, Too

[seafan]

The United States of AT&T Wants Satellites Now, Too



by emptywheel
The Next Hurrah

October 25, 2007

Well, here's another reason AT&T is so desperate for retroactive immunity. It'd suck to have their bid to acquire a satellite TV company derailed as consumers realized AT&T is using that technology to spy on them, huh?

AT&T has been consulting lawyers in Washington about how long it would take to get government approval to purchase either EchoStar Communications Corp. or DirecTV Group Inc., people familiar with the matter said. If it does make a bid for one of the satellite providers, AT&T could unveil the offer before year's end in hopes of getting federal antitrust officials to approve the combination before a new administration takes over, these people say.

Yeah, I'm sure AT&T would like to get such a move approved before the end of the year. You know, while they still had their former lawyer in charge of DOJ and still had one of their big lobbyists running the oval office?

John Dean: Why, Even If You Have Nothing To Hide, Government Surveillance Threatens Your Freedom

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. How is satellite TV...

...going to help AT&T spy on people?

[Vincardog]

2. They provide satellite broadband for your computer too.

[stirlingsliver]

3. OMG! They Know Where I Am, Too!

OMG! OMG!

It's bad enough that the US Government knows where I am.

Now AT&T knows where I am, too??

More tinfoil!!!

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

5. And again I ask...

...how is satellite broadband any more intrusive than good old cabled broadband?

[Vincardog]

6. If you let the company that allows the US government to listen in on all phone calls

have assess to all your email and IMs and a record of every web site you ever visit and everything on your PC it might be a little invasive.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

10. What does that have to do with satellites?

You haven't answered my question at all.

[Vincardog]

11. IT extends the transfer of information from the switches in the USA

to the switches in space (The satellites).

ATT was giving all your phone calls and information that went over your phone line to the feds.
If they get to be a satellite broadband provider they will give all your information traveling over YOUR network to the feds as well. Say you have a small business and you use the satellite broadband to provide a wireless network for your small business and or family. Every thing you put on or over your network now goes straight to the thought police at the appropriate Reich wing department.

Do you get it now?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

12. No.

And quite frankly you don't seem to have any idea what you're talking about. Again, if they're ALREADY giving anything that goes over your phone lines to the feds (which includes network traffic) how does it make any difference that it's routed from a ground station in the US to a satellite before it gets to your house? Moreover, satellite is a single-direction channel. The requests for data that you make are still routed through a phone line, not back up to the satellite from your dish. It makes no difference whether the data gets to your house via a satellite or a DSL line or a cable modem. It can still be monitored just as easily either way.

[Vincardog]

13. satellite is a single-direction channel? Funny I got your message from my satellite

I am sending you thins message thru my satellite (That makes it 2 directional).
The problem seems to be that you have a preconceived set of opinions and are not willing to learn better.
That is the definition of prejudice.
I have tried to enlighten and inform you what you choose to do with the information is not my problem.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

14. Cool.

That service wasn't available last time I looked into getting satellite broadband. Nonetheless it still makes no difference. Your internet traffic is still being routed through all the same places where it could be observed.

[Vincardog]

15. But your inter office memo now becomes internet traffic. All your documents now become

'internet traffic'.

[iamthebandfanman]

4. well duh

all you have to do is go on the att website or to http://bellsouth.com/consumer/directv/index.html and see that they offer deals and plans that include DirectTV

i think television and phone companies should always stay seperate as to prevent monopolies...

but ATT isnt the first to try this out...

doesnt Sprint have a deal with a Cable provider ?
coulda swore id saw commercials about TV on your cell phone thru sprint with a cable providers backing ;)

[Vincardog]

7. I used to have SPRINT wireless on my PC.

[SoCalDem]

8. Verizon does.. My son is signing up when he gets his new computer

He'll have one bill for his TV, cell-phone & internet access..

Americans LOVE "convenience"..even though those same people will rant about competition and how good it is :)

Even though it costs me more, I would not WANT all my communication services to be in one place.. Verizon hiccups and I have no tevm no phone no internet?? I think not :)

I have a landline phone (no cellphones in this household) , a cable modem, and Dish :)

[Zywiec]

9. How many people have satellite broadband? n/t

[dkofos]

16. I think it is time to break up ATT AGAIN, along with the other MEGA

corporations.

How often does your satellite receiver call home?
Mine does it almost every day!!