http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/fcc-mulls-regulating-network-practices/ Digital Trends is your home for technology news, CE product reviews, mobile app reviews and daily videos. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:44:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/fcc-mulls-regulating-network-practices/#comment-56181 Ande Mon, 21 Apr 2008 22:09:09 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com#comment-56181 As Dan pointed out, there is often very little choice concerning which broadband provider one can go with. I've followed this, the issue of net-neutrality, for a while now and I am for there being an amount of regulation on what ISPs can do with your connection, especially if it is done in ambiguity. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I look at the situation with this economical standpoint: If there are measures to keep internet connections neutral, the change from what we know today will likely only be in cost of that connection because of continual upgrade in equipment, which is a normal product of demand. If however there is nothing to safeguard the traffic of connections from being modified, then we may see an entirely different internet than what we are used to, and will not be much benefit to consumers. Neil Berkett, CEO of Virgin Media, based in the UK, had recently admitted that their company is already doing deals to speed up the traffic of certain media providers, and throttling down others. He specifically told the BBC and their iPlayer service, along with other providers like them that if they don’t pay a premium to gain faster access to Virgin Media’s customers, their service would be put into “bus lanes”. The internet connections we enjoy unfettered may become broken into 'channels', requiring us to pay premiums for full access to google, and youtube, or any other favorite sites, because even as ridiculous as that sounds, there will be little to stop ISPs once they've all started implementing such policies. Even so much as charging media services like yahoo among others additional specific fees to access certain customers, I highly doubt we'll be enjoying free email accounts for very long, among other services. As Dan pointed out, there is often very little choice concerning which broadband provider one can go with. I've followed this, the issue of net-neutrality, for a while now and I am for there being an amount of regulation on what ISPs can do with your connection, especially if it is done in ambiguity. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I look at the situation with this economical standpoint: If there are measures to keep internet connections neutral, the change from what we know today will likely only be in cost of that connection because of continual upgrade in equipment, which is a normal product of demand. If however there is nothing to safeguard the traffic of connections from being modified, then we may see an entirely different internet than what we are used to, and will not be much benefit to consumers. Neil Berkett, CEO of Virgin Media, based in the UK, had recently admitted that their company is already doing deals to speed up the traffic of certain media providers, and throttling down others. He specifically told the BBC and their iPlayer service, along with other providers like them that if they don’t pay a premium to gain faster access to Virgin Media’s customers, their service would be put into “bus lanes”. The internet connections we enjoy unfettered may become broken into 'channels', requiring us to pay premiums for full access to google, and youtube, or any other favorite sites, because even as ridiculous as that sounds, there will be little to stop ISPs once they've all started implementing such policies. Even so much as charging media services like yahoo among others additional specific fees to access certain customers, I highly doubt we'll be enjoying free email accounts for very long, among other services.

]]> http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/fcc-mulls-regulating-network-practices/#comment-56182 Dan Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:51:58 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com#comment-56182 Sometimes traffic shaping needs to be done to regulate a big network. However, the customers should be better informed on what level is acceptable and what isn't. When I am shopping for an ISP (which, unfortunately, is a field with very little choice), I expect to be told upfront if there is going to be any tampering with my Internet connection (I consider forged RST packets tampering). Sometimes traffic shaping needs to be done to regulate a big network. However, the customers should be better informed on what level is acceptable and what isn't. When I am shopping for an ISP (which, unfortunately, is a field with very little choice), I expect to be told upfront if there is going to be any tampering with my Internet connection (I consider forged RST packets tampering).

]]> http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/fcc-mulls-regulating-network-practices/#comment-56183 Elaine Sun, 20 Apr 2008 08:30:00 +0000 http://www.digitaltrends.com#comment-56183 I can see which way the wind is blowing on this. Another thing that will be taken whether we like it or not. Not that I'm an expert about this or the ramifications of it, but if they get to control the traffic on the internet, I don't see how it can be good for us consumers. No doubt it will cost us more and more down the road, as it's all about the $$ in the U.S. anymore. I can see which way the wind is blowing on this. Another thing that will be taken whether we like it or not. Not that I'm an expert about this or the ramifications of it, but if they get to control the traffic on the internet, I don't see how it can be good for us consumers. No doubt it will cost us more and more down the road, as it's all about the $$ in the U.S. anymore.

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