-
My point is that I can foresee a scenario where a fiber ISP could decide to form a partnership with one content provider and not with that company's competitor. In this scenario the partner would be able to offer its users "Megabit Bursts" (to quote Verizon EVP Tom Tauke) and the other company would not, in effect blocking the non-partner from offering the same level of service to consumers as the partner.
That is a scenario that could easily result in a lawsuit therefore putting a court in a position to set precedent that may be far more reaching then just that particular case.
That is why there is value in having these discussions now and not waiting till after the fact.
Posted at July 28, 2006 3:59 AM in response to Net Neutrality By the Numbers
-
Actually, I don’t think you (or the telcos) really want to wait to see what happens when an actual blocking incident occurs. It won’t be left up to engineers to find a solution, it will end up in court. Do you really want some activist court legislating Net Neutrality from the bench?
Whether or not Net Neutrality legislation is the answer, now is the time to be having the discussion and debate. We shouldn’t choose to ignore it. The telco execs let the genie out of the bottle on this one and now that it is out we shouldn’t put it away without addressing it.
Posted at July 27, 2006 3:24 PM in response to Net Neutrality By the Numbers
-
I found Mr. Tauke’s testimony to be particularly insulting. When he spoke about needing bandwidth for heart monitoring and things like “communication for the disabled” I think he made a great case for the government to take over Verizon’s portion of the internet for the sake of the public good.
Seriously if Mr. Tauke is so concerned about these altruistic uses of the internet should his company even be delivering TV over it? Did he happen to mention how much bandwidth Verizon channel 821, Wealth TV HD, would take up when he spoke before Congress? Did he offer to trade the bandwidth used by Verizon channel 421, Playboy TV En Espanol, so that grandmothers all over the country could have their doctor perform tele-diagnosis, when he spoke before Congress? No, of course he didn’t.
That’s the problem; these guys are making a huge mistake by using Astroturf tactics and false public good arguments instead of talking frankly about their concerns. They are going to piss off the wrong person sooner or later and they’ll end up heavy handed legislation instead of some form of self-regulation.
I’d personally like to see the telcos feet held to the fire on Net Neutrality when they apply for IP cable TV franchises. That offers them a way to commit to Network Neutrality without having new legislation rammed down their throats. I’m trying to push for that in my town and state but I’m sure there are other ways, such as at investor meetings, to question the telcos on their plans. I think they can be hemmed in without the need for new legislation, but the choice really is theirs.
-- Tom http://www.redbanktv.orgPosted at May 31, 2006 2:59 PM in response to Boiling the Frog – a Net Neutrality Metaphor
