What Would We Do Without The FCC????

[35Pete]

What would we do without such an important federal agency? How would the people be guaranteed of safe wireless products and spectrum users not trampling on each other?

I design wireless products. The FCC certification package takes an engineer a month of testing to complete and comply with.

So what would we do without this agency that protects the interests of the "people"?

Answer: We'd rely on the more comprehensive private industry standard.

TIA-EIA 603.

The Telecommunications Industry Association - Electronics Industry Association standards for wireless products.

Their certification package, which you DARE NOT sell your product without their kiss of approval, takes 4 engineers 6 months to complete the certification. And it includes all the FCC requirements but with more stringent requirements. Pass TIA-EIA and the FCC requirements are a snap.

Want to know the kicker? An electronics business that is not a member does not stay in business too long.


One more ABC agency that we can kill off.

[JoetheDictator]

well Pete isn't this also a case where private industry and good governance come together to ensure consumer safety.

[35Pete]

well Pete isn't this also a case where private industry and good governance come together to ensure consumer safety.

No. Not at all.

The TIA/EIA do it for self-interests. Not because of government.

The FCC is not needed here. The TIA/EIA requirements include theirs and more.

[deconstruction]

Corporations hardly ever police themselves properly.

[TMR2006]

The FCC is responsible for killing rock music... from what I'm told it occured sometime in the 80's.

[35Pete]

Corporations hardly ever police themselves properly.

But industry associations can be brutal. And you join them voluntarily, not coercively. Thing is, without the seal of approval of a lot of them you are not staying in business long.

And I presented a case that directly contradicts your premise.

Image is everything in marketing. And marketing is sales. And sales is lifeblood. No one wants to be seen as the corporate bad citizen.

[shiva2999]

Image is everything in marketing. And marketing is sales. And sales is lifeblood. No one wants to be seen as the corporate bad citizen.

Halliburton.

[35Pete]

Halliburton.


They did it in spite of federal regulations. Face it. Some dirtbag wants to do that and NO agency is going to prevent it.
Only stop them.

And my philosophy believes that government has a role in preventing fraud.
Hailburton committed mass fraud.

Life in prison I tell you.

[anEinherjer]

Corporations hardly ever police themselves properly.

Underwriters' Labs. Seem to be doing okay so far...

[anEinherjer]

Halliburton and the bullshit they've gotten away with are directly caused by the government. Without untold billions in gov't largesse sitting around waiting to be doled out by the benevolent guys in Congress, Halliburton wouldn't exist.

No, I wouldn't use Halliburton as an example of how gov't is better than private industry.

[35Pete]

anEin. Somethings are just accepted as fact without checking the facts. In time they become cliches.

Ohh. And on top of TIA/EIA we have an internal certification process that even exceeds that. In competitive markets, with bad news able to spread like wildfire, you don't want a black eye from a product flaw. That can kill your market share overnight and take years, if ever to recoup. So quality is absolutely in our best interests.

Why can't people see that?

[anEinherjer]

People don't want to see that because there have been numerous cases of corporations screwing up, or screwing people over for years before they were caught (Love Canal. You know someone will throw that in here, and it's a good reference).

When they don't get caught right away (Enron), people cry for gov't to do "something"... which is just a disastrous response, but an emotional one.

Fact is, there is no way to prevent a company from doing bad things. But that's not what people believe - they think a law will actually stop companies before they do bad things, even with just as much evidence to demonstrate otherwise.

[35Pete]

People don't want to see that because there have been numerous cases of corporations screwing up, or screwing people over for years before they were caught (Love Canal. You know someone will throw that in here, and it's a good reference).

When they don't get caught right away (Enron), people cry for gov't to do "something"... which is just a disastrous response, but an emotional one.

Fact is, there is no way to prevent a company from doing bad things. But that's not what people believe - they think a law will actually stop companies before they do bad things, even with just as much evidence to demonstrate otherwise.


Well. The government prevented Haliburton from it's evil deeds, didn't they?

[deconstruction]

But industry associations can be brutal. And you join them voluntarily, not coercively. Thing is, without the seal of approval of a lot of them you are not staying in business long.

And I presented a case that directly contradicts your premise.

Image is everything in marketing. And marketing is sales. And sales is lifeblood. No one wants to be seen as the corporate bad citizen.

Possibly, but more often than not regulations are treated with a nod and a wink by insiders. For every one business that plays by the rules, there are 3 that don't. To them, they'd rather play the odds and profit while risking punishment rather than not profit.

[deconstruction]

People don't want to see that because there have been numerous cases of corporations screwing up, or screwing people over for years before they were caught (Love Canal. You know someone will throw that in here, and it's a good reference).

When they don't get caught right away (Enron), people cry for gov't to do "something"... which is just a disastrous response, but an emotional one.

Fact is, there is no way to prevent a company from doing bad things. But that's not what people believe - they think a law will actually stop companies before they do bad things, even with just as much evidence to demonstrate otherwise.

Yes, but they seem unable or unwilling to police themselves. So, as citizens, what options do we have?

[35Pete]

Yes, but they seem unable or unwilling to police themselves. So, as citizens, what options do we have?

I disagree. For all the commerce that occurs in this nation the reports of abuses are few and far between. And I'd place most of that credit on the enterprise's self interests, watchdog groups, and industry self-regulation. I've never seen the FCC once inspect anything at any company that I have worked at. Too much work and too few bodies. It's a feel good agency that makes people feel like they are doing something.

[deconstruction]

Low reporting doesn't mean its not happening. Perhaps the FCC needs to do its job better. Besides which we're talking about stuff like toxic dumping, enron level fraud, Walmart like restriction of pay/civil liberties.