The City of New York
Queens Community Board 3
Technology Advisory Committee
Meeting Report
December 11, 2006
The committee met from 7:30 PM to 9 PM at the Board’s district office. Participating were:
Thomas Lowenhaupt, Committee Chair Eugene Atkins, Resident Member
Vivian Dock, Member, CB 3 Jeffrey Saunders, Resident Member
Jimmy Smith, Member CB 3 Arthur Teiler, Board Member
Mary Vavruska, Resident (and former CB 3 Chair) Giovanna Reid, District Manager
John McHugh, Community Resident
The committee reviewed two items: Network Neutrality and Cell Antennas
1. Network Neutrality - The number two item on everyone's agenda should be communications policy as it sets the basis for how all other decisions are made. A fundamental decision needs to be made on how we communicate over the Internet. Network neutrality is the name given to the policy that would preserve the net as a vibrant means for local and civic communication. To begin the discussion the committee viewed a short video available from http://foureyedmonsters.com/neutrality/. A dozen other videos on the subject are available via a “network neutrality” search on www.youtube.com.
The issues are summarized in the following statement by Rob Frieden, Professor, Penn State University. "Opponents of net neutrality view the concept as jeopardizing operational and pricing flexibility. Net neutrality advocates argue that the Internet cannot achieve maximum contributions to national productivity, economic opportunity, and innovation unless government ensures end-to-end connectivity by foreclosing a balkanized, or tiered Internet."
The conversation on the Internet and network service issues broadened from domestic to global issues with Jeffrey Saunders stating that one reason the Chinese seek limitations on the use of its network, is to maintain harmonious relations between its various ethnic groups. He said that 40% of Chinese are from different minorities.
After much discussion the committee made several changes to the preliminary resolution, accepting suggestions by Vivian Dock and Mary Vavruska, and concluded that a Network Neutrality Resolution should be presentation to the board. The committee unanimously agreed on the following:
Network Neutrality Resolution
Network neutrality is a general Internet principle requiring Internet Service Providers to satisfy all subscribers equally.
Thus if one community resident connects to the Internet with a given quality of service (dial-up, DSL, cable), and another resident connects to the net with the same or higher quality of service, then the two residents should be able to communicate using the common quality of service.
Our residents, businesses, and institutions are best served by an internet that provides maximum access to new ideas, new businesses, and new technologies via such a parallel quality network. New small businesses and the entrepreneurial spirit will especially benefit if we continue to follow the traditional network neutrality principle.
Therefore, we urge our city, state, and federal representatives to seek network service equality for our residents, businesses, and institutions.
Copies of this resolution are to be sent to these representatives, the community boards, and the Queens Chamber of Commerce.
2. Cell Antennas – Over the past decade or so cell phone antennas have increasingly been installed throughout our community. Some residents have complained that some of these are obtrusive and unsightly structures. The committee has created a page with photographs of the various antennas in our community and antennas with antennas offering aesthetic qualities that diminish this unsightliness. See http://www.cb3qn.nyc.gov/page/towers/.
We’ll be taking a look at what other communities have begun to do. Jeffrey Saunders suggested we might ask cell companies to move them out of sight on larger buildings, a bit off the street view. Mary Vavruska offered to consult with industry people about practices that the community might find more favorable.
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We concluded with a discussion of the tasks associated with helping the GIS interns, who we expected at Thursday's monthly meeting. Eugene Atkins will provide primary oversight.
End.
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