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@AeSix
Created March 1, 2015 13:40
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Let me get one thing straight about Net Neutrality:
It is because of the malicious, harmful and dangerous actions of individuals, groups and companies that the government has to step in to protect the rest of the population. This is one of the primary and basic reasons of existence for a governing body.
The Government (FCC Specifically) has stayed out of regulating the internet, specifically ISPs for over 25 years. This was because these companies were quite able to regulate themselves, to peer with each other without hassle, and come to financial agreements for access and usage. In the last 10 years, companies like YouTube, Neflix, Hulu and other "large bandwidth services" have come about. The ISPs have done many things to discourage their customers from using these services, including throttling bandwidth to these sites (and many many more) so their customers could not properly view and access these sites.
(ISP is Internet Service Provider: Verizon Fios, CenturyLink DSL, Comcast Cable internet, etc)
(Throttling is where you have a certain speed of internet, and are unable to connect at that full speed because of artificial means by the ISP - some one at the ISP chose to make service go very slow. This is common practice for customers who go over their monthly allocation of bandwidth, which is a different issue)
The ISPs have continued to increase customer rates as well as peering rates - AND charging these service sites large sums to allow their content on those ISP networks. If these sites refuse to pay these mafia-like charges, they were unable to deliver content to customers on those ISPs. Yes, bandwidth is expensive - physically there are routers, switches, nodes, cabling - not to mention property leasing, utility pole leasing, electrical charges and so on.
The problem is that customers could not simply "get internet" and have access to everything online. In some markets, certain ISPs were deliberately blocking VoiP, Video sites and even gaming access - or more aggravating to the user, the bandwidth to these sites would be throttled back so the user would not be able to access the content, play games or otherwise use the service even though there was a connection.
Imagine picking up your phone and trying to call a friend out of state - your call goes through, their phone rings, they answer and neither of you can hear each other. Yes this happens, but today that happens because of faulty wiring somewhere. But imagine if your phone company did this on purpose because they couldn't, or didn't want to pay the access fees to your friend's phone company. How outraged would the average American be? This is what has begun to happen to the internet.
The FCC ruling to enforce Net Neutrality was one done out of lack of industry self regulation and capitalism fragmenting the internet. This is specifically why the FCC exists - to keep the lines of communication open to all who rightfully have access to those lines.
What does this mean to the average user? Internet service as we have come to expect it - being able to visit any site, use any service, and generally access any information we have a right to do so with. That right, purchased by monthly bills from the ISP, has been implied to be complete - however it is now guaranteed by the FCC.
There may be some changes to billing, specifically a monthly fee to help pay for the FCC to ensure compliance, and ISPs may attempt to raises prices drastically, which again, the FCC can now stop from happening. This is no different than the fees and charges found on Cable, Satellite, telephone and cellphone bills.
Yes, we live in a capitalism driven economy. But at some point, any service, commodity or activity becomes so standard in daily life that any intentional interruption of these causes major issues with those who provide, use or are affected by such events. When those industries are unable or unwilling to correct the actions leading to continued and malicious interruptions, it is time for the government to step in.
There are two separate issues here: Net Neutrality and Broadband as a Utility. These are both things the FCC voted to enable, as there was previously no course of action for the FCC to ensure net (internet) neutrality without first defining broadband as a utility service. Some may have the opinion this should have been done long ago, and some may have the opinion that it should never have been or be allowed to happen.
A quick history lesson on some basics here. The internet, when it was first marketed to the public, rode atop of the phone company - it was not a utility or service unto itself as it required the use of a utility (phone lines) in order to operate, much like having a cordless phone requires having this utility. Dialup internet is nearly dead. Very few ISPs provide dialup service. Most internet subscribers are using dedicated or nearly dedicate infrastructure for internet service by way of Coaxial cable, Fiber optic, and DSL. Because of the move from being secondary services riding on these lines to be a primary service utilizing the infrastructure, Broadband has moved "internet service" from being something that's sold after the fact, and even by third party companies to being a primary service sold - and in many cases, is itself used to provide video and voice communications. The paradigm has shifted from getting internet with your phone or cable service to getting phone and television from your internet company. Why? Because these services are now digital and ride on the IP network, they are now internet services themselves.
Do I agree whole heartedly that the FCC should be regulating the ISPs? Not really, but in the lack of industry self regulation and cooperating, something needed to be done to protect the consumer.
Furthermore, the FAA has made a similar ruling about Quad Copters and "drone" aircraft regulating that these devices remain below 400 feet in all areas and are not allowed to fly near airports. Why? Because of the lack of warning that these devices can cause serious harm and possibly the loss of life to those aboard private and commercial air craft, and because of the lack of self regulation amongst the industry and enthusiasts to retain proper control over these devices and to make well educated choices regarding navigation. Again, the FAA stepped in to protect the consumer and general public from the irrational, ill-informed, and malicious exploits of individuals and companies who's actions have caused disruptions, delays and on several occasions near collisions with passenger planes. At the speed and altitudes jetliners fly, hitting a quad copter could crack the wind screen of the plane causing cabin pressure loss, could get sucked into a turbine and cause a stall, fire or explosion or even get lodged in the landing gear.
It is because of the malicious, harmful and dangerous actions of individuals, groups and companies that the government has to step in to protect the rest of the population. This is one of the primary and basic reasons of existence for a governing body.
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