My 2010 Understanding of Net Neutrality

My 2010 Understanding of Net Neutrality

As a guy trying to make money with the Internet and Access in various platforms such as home and phone, net neutrality really had me spooked. On webcomics.com, many creators were afraid of the FCC’s impact on the business model that has worked for thousands of creators in the last ten years based on Net Neutrality. Frustrated to the naïve ignorance of how important this is of many friends, family, and peers, I decided to blog about the information I’ve been finding. Moreover, the more I understand how the Internet is being protected and designated, the less emotional I feel. Nonetheless, if ignorance blinds many, our “Internet Rights” may one day disappear and most of the country wouldn’t even care until they had to pay for it, literally.



The F.C.C. under the Obama administration is trying to protect the Internet from falling under corporate control (Net Neutrality). Because what has made the internet successful for entrepreneurs and new technologies has been a uncontrolled platform where new services like “Youtube “could beat “Google Video” based on frame rate performance as cited by Senator Franken on many interviews such as the one seen below.



Franken draws an analogy to the Television industry. Within his analogy, he cited how many of the independent television producers disappeared after a 1980 FCC rule change that gave networks the ability to create their own show. In other words, the ruling gave corporate control over an independent market, which could ultimately lead to one conglomerated corporation. Moreover, if a company like Comcast gains control of how speeds run on the Internet, this could lead to accelerated mergers between communication companies such as “AT&T” and media companies such “Disney” to try secure their market shares and portability. Thus a trigger effect where the Internet goes the way of the radio, a once free innovated platform to a more controlled less innovated platform.

“Mr. Franken and other critics say the rules come with major caveats; for instance, they would allow for 'reasonable network management' by broadband providers. And they would discourage but not expressly forbid something called 'paid prioritization,' which would allow a media or technology company to pay the provider for faster transmission of data, potentially creating an uneven playing field.” _Stelter, 2010

For example, Level Three versus Comcast. Under Net Neutrality, Level 3 could offer a service without being charged by Comcast. Thus, “Net-Flix” users had lower costs; however, if Comcast could charge Level 3 then the costs would be on the consumer. The argument is that Comcast is only a portal to the Internet and not the owner of the Internet. The video below explores two related arguments.



“On Dec. 21, 2010, the F.C.C. approved a compromise that would broadly create two classes of Internet access, one for fixed-line providers and the other for the wireless Net. The vote was 3 to 2, with the Democratic commissioners supporting it and the Republican commissioners against.”_ Net Neutrality

The battle for now is fast lanes, but a new question has been proposed about new technology that Google and Verizon may be developing independently. Meaning, broadband connection as far as paid faster connection is not the concern but it the next generation of Internet could come prepackaged and controlled by a company such as Google. “…fast lanes are fairly easy to understand when it comes to wireless Internet access…”however, what are the other services that Google and Verizon want to control? (Net Neutrality).

My understanding is that the Internet is slowly replacing the cable box with platforms like HD TV where the TV is really a giant computer monitor. Comcast realizing what was happening tried to control where the cable market was heading to, an actual Internet TV Hybrid. In turn, imposing their concerns on companies such as Facebook. However, Comcast had no real market position in portable devices as Google and Verizon. Thus, the focus of content providers is no longer the home, but what devices will people carry on them wherever they go.

So this is where Net Neutrality is at the end of 2010. There’s plenty on the web to read about this issue, and I’ll continue to blog about it as it relates to my interests and concerns. However, how does it interest or concern you?

If you are interested, search for new technology and trends related to Net Neutrality.

Also, look into the cell phone effects of Net Neutrality.


Non-Video References
Stelter, B (2010, Dec 20 )F.C.C. Is Set to Regulate Net Access. The New York Times Retrieved From http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/business/media/21fcc.html?sq=fcc&st=cse&scp=3&pagewanted=print

Net Neutrality (Updated Dec22,2010) Retrieved From
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/n/net_neutrality/index.html