Tue, 09 May 2006

Small Cable Groups Seek To Break Net Neutrality

Why is net neutrality important? One word: monopoly. Cable companies and telecom giants are legal monopolies, obtaining their markets not through competitive activity but through franchise agreements with state and local governments. Ditto for the cellular and satellite companies, who lease the spectrum they use from the Federal government. Broadcasting is still a licensed activity.

When these companies are willing to give up those monopoly rights, I'll be willing to support surrendering on network neutrality. To do otherwise would be letting them have their cake and eat it, too.

CNet's News.com has a story on the first cable companies openly going against Net Neutrality. As usual, request for equal treatment is labeled as 'special favors', and Google is used as an example of company that should pay for a fast connection to the end user." From the article: "'I think what the phone industry's saying and what we're saying is we've made an investment, and I don't think the government should be coming and telling us how we can work that infrastructure, simple as that,' Commisso said during a panel discussion about issues faced by companies like his, adding, 'Why don't they go and tell the oil companies what they should charge for their damn gas?'

(link) [Slashdot]

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