The Net Neutrality Debate

[andrewducker]

At the moment there's an argument going on between various operators of internet connections and users of said connections.  The operators are "shaping" traffic (i.e. blocking and limiting it) in order to keep their bandwidth bills down and threatening to charge the sources of large bandwidth drains for access to their networks.  And by "sources" they they mean Google Video, YouTube and the other places that produce the stuff that users are downloading.

The reason for this is simple - they're terrified to charge users for the bandwidth they use.  UK ISPs aren't so bad - most of them have been charging for the amount people download (over a set minimum) for a while now, but US ISPs seem to be so terrified that doing so will cause an outcry that they've decided it's easier for them to go after the suppliers of the goods that attracted users to the internet in the first place.

The answer is, of course, for both suppliers and customers to realise that you get nothing for free, and if you want to download lots of shiny things then you're going to have to pay for it, because the people you're using for your connection sure as hell are.

Comments

[mirukux.livejournal.com]

have you seen this? i feel the opinions voiced within are of great value to the whole debate.

[robhu.livejournal.com]

OTOH people like Bulldog have 'unlimited' plans and by unlimited I mean really unlimited (I've tried), and they continue to make stacks of cash.

I suspect the main motivation behind bw limiting is more about massively increasing profits and / or compensating for massive incompetency (e.g. BT Broadband who are more expensive and have worse service than most even though they own the entire end to end solution).

[robhu.livejournal.com]

I should admit I'm quite angry about this... because I think that ISPs in the UK largely rip off consumers when they limit the connections. A number of ISPs give people a 8mb connection (advertised in big letters) yet these people can reach the monthly cap (in small letters of course) within just a few hours of use.

OFCOM has also successfully dealt with some of them that were offering 'unlimited' broadband when in reality it wasn't even slightly unlimited.

[robhu.livejournal.com]

I'm just about to go to the cinema and haven't had time to read it but I thought you might find it relevant.

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

I guess you saw my blawg entry?

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

The problem is one of habit and of some of the people involved in the argument. People are used to a certain cost structure, just as many have got used to mp3s etc being "free".

Also, many of those weighing in on the "you cannot charge us for THIS" side are of the kind that you are well aware that I decry with their "it should all be free, damn business models and capitalism!"