Net Neutrality

[Archangelus]

I don't know how many of you have heard about Net Neutrality and the legislation that is going through the US Congress, but it's significant and I'm asking out US members and visitors to take a stand. For those unfamiliar with the term 'Net Neutrality', the issue is that the telecommunications and cable companies are lobbying that in order to be successful, they need to have the ability to "prioritize" the data traveling on their networks.

While this seems harmless, the issue is much more sinister than that. What they are looking to do is to charge Web Service providers (Google, Vonage, Battle.net, etc...) in order to have their traffic go through on the highest tier of service. If you don't pay, your service still works, but the packets are prioritized lower than those that do pay. Basically, what this means is that your performance to services you want may suffer if the company doesn't pay the "ransom" that the telco's are asking for.

To be fair, the basis of the argument is that these services are using the Infrastructure that these Telco's are paying billions to install, but those services pay nothing for the Infrastructure's upkeep or expansion. The fact of the matter is that the telco's already charge us (the customers) fees to cover this upkeep, but of course, they're threatening that if the Net Neutrality portions of the bills remain, they will greatly reduce their investment in improving our Net Infrastructure.

So, the question I pose is - Do you want the Telco's telling you which services should get preference for you?

Please - tell your Congressmen via this form that you want Net Neutrality!!

http://action.freepress.net/campaign/savethenet

Thanks!

-Arch

[XoR]

This is what I've been calling Qo$. It's a greedy grab at control and making money, the exact antithesis of what the internet is. Not to mention that telcos/providers' prices reflect initial investment, day to day maintenence and future projects.

This is why we need to let our voices be heard, so that the bureaucratic steamroller doesn't destroy everything in its path.

[Grudge]

so it's a bad thing? right?

[Archangelus]

Umm.....yeah.

[Geme]

does that mean porn will cost more money....wait i mean MMO monthly fees...if so im gonna speak out!

[midnightservice]

well what it means is this in a nut shell.

If google pays and you go to there site you get a 100mb connection everytime.

if yahoo does not pay and you visit there site you get a 2mb connection. See the difference.

So ho many MMO's and FPS's servers are going to pay for this service or even be able to afford this service.

What is happening is the big companies will no longer be able to buy an OC3 or even an OC152 line they will by a throughput bandwith contract like web search sites charge for placement on there boards.

-Mid

[Archangelus]

And to build on Mid's examples - since the MMO's are going to pay extra for the "premium service", who do you think they'll pass that cost onto??

[Undead_Mercenary]

Then how does this only affect Americans then?

[Archangelus]

Well, its not that it only affects Americans, but that right now, only Americans can really fight it since the major telco's are based in the US and that is where the legislation is beginning.

[XoR]

Cook Godzilla whilst an egg kinda deal.

mmmm Godzilla omlet, bacon anyone?