Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The debate over net neutrality

~~ I have been following the debate over Net Neutrality since 2005 -- and I gotta a admit , I thought it was a dead issue, till it reared it ugly heard again --this time with "do no evil Google" now advocating some form of tiered internet. So here is my take:
THE FREE MARKET will keep the internet free and open. Someone will always step up as an ISP service that will offer unbridled internet for HOME connections. Wireless connections make the issues of "hardware infrastructure" of wired systems less of an issue , so hopefully the Free Market alternatives will mean there will always be an option of ISPs. However , you may have to pay a bit more to surf the net w/o restrictions.


The debate over net neutrality has taken center stage after the FCC called off its attempts to negotiate a compromise with key industry players, and after Google and Verizon issued a joint "net neutrality" proposal of their own. The issue has devolved into a political knife fight with the two sides divided sharply along predictable ideological lines.

As Google defends its flip-flopped betrayal of the principles of net neutrality, and AT&T jumps on board endorsing the industry-sided Google-Verizon proposal, four Democratic members of Congress have jumped into the fray to assert their opposition to the plan. Edward Markey, Anna Eshoo, Mike Doyle, and Jay Inslee wrote a letter to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, declaring that "formal FCC action is needed."