So this is what I sent to the FCC: I support Net Neutrality and this note explains why. A retired, network engineer formerly working for a NASA contractor, I have implemented network circuits with QoS, the opposite of Net Neutralty. For example, the 90 day, Mars Rover mission did not have budget for a pair of symmetrical circuits, we used a DS-3 and T-1 to handle net management, voice, mission data, and lower priority support traffic like e-mail. Once the mission went years longer (still going), a proper pair of DS-3 circuits were budgeted. Net Neutrality provides, a commitment to more bandwidth. But we also have an example of what happens with marketing abuse. Due to pop-up, video commercials, browser vendors are inhibiting (at last!) auto-play video. Between circuit saturation, noise, and overhead, commercial exploitation made internet access with video pop-up became less usable. That is exactly what killing Net Neutrality will accomplish, making it into the “Home Shopping Network.” Experience shows Net Neutrality supports quality content and motivates the carriers to add bandwidth … what they should be doing. Bob Wilson
In order to have true Net Neutrality a good first step is to ban content owners from being Interne Service Providers and enforce a divestiture process for existing content owners with severe conflict of interest. The content owner lobby is too strong to permit that, though, The ISP business should not be considered just a feeder to the content businesses. I vaguely remember the ending of the non-commercial Internet. In some ways it was more useful than the current monstrosity, but that genie is out of the bottle.
The above comments should be applied to cellular phone carriers too. Communication needs to be separate from content for ethical reasons. They cannot be impartial (neutral) while owning major content carried on their network. Marketing deals need to then be scrutinized too, much like corporate mergers, to insure fair content competition on the service. Definitely "pie in the sky" stuff, I know.
Sadly, my friend, reality seldom approaches anywhere near the 'ideal.' Perception of ideal will always depend on whichever side of the fence you happen to be.
I'm a proponent of Net Neutrality, but I also see it as two lies for the price of one. It comes down, really, to whom you distrust more: Big Corporations. Big Government. or.....as a Marine I know might be wont to say: Which one sucks less? Be VERY careful in choosing!!!! Sometimes the former has acted against the latter to safeguard the privacy rights of the individual, albeit in different parts of the biz. OK.... So. Nobody has (yet) run to the moderators with tear-swollen eyes blubbering about site rules. Since it might be instructive for more people to read about half of the issue than the six regular posters in the Political sub-forum who would just insult each other about half of the issue in any case, then, we'll probably just have to leave it there.
Net Neutrality would mean your cable Internet Service Provider could not give better network access to their video service and give poorer access to competing services such as Amazon Video or NetFlix streaming.
I've been thinking about cutting the cable cord and streaming content from Hulu plus or Sling TV to supplement my Amazon Prime and Netflix. But now, I'm going to have to hold off on it because of the possibility of my ISP throttling my video feeds from other content sites. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
thanks, i don't stream, but i could see how this would be important to young people. they should just allow more competition, like they did with big bell, best thing that ever happened.
If I had my way, content providers would be banned from being Internet Service Providers. ISPs could not be content owners either. Only then might true net neutrality be possible. It will not likely happen in my lifetime, though.
Judge Harry Green broke up the Bell System, creating the 7 regional Bell operating companies, 4 of which Southwestern Bell bought (except Qwest, now part of CenturyLink) to create what is now known as AT&T. Verizon combines the remnants of GTE plus the remaining two RBOCs, Bell Atlantic and NYNEX . I'm going to stop there, all that breaking up and still no real competition. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
I have a grandfathered T-Mobile Simple Choice plan that still has zero-rated data (Binge On), so I can watch as much Netflix, Amazon Prime, Viki without it counting against my data. I guess Legere will get rid of that eventually and I'll have to switch to T-Mobile One, but then I'll be dropping a few lines. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
something caused prices to fall dramatically, you may not be old enough to remember what a long distance call cost, back in the day.
Lol, I'm not THAT old, but I remember when cellphone plans with 35 minutes a month were adequate. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
My dad used to take my sisters and me to his office on holidays so we could use the WATS line to make long distance calls. It was expensive to have 5 kids talk to grandma. Back then, it was always assumed that, if somebody called after 9 pm, somebody had died because long distance was so f@cking expensive. Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
We gave up the land line when it became a telemarketer tool. We tried xDSL but the water logged, phone lines meant no internet when and after it rained. Now my cell phone has both caller ID, a white list of know numbers, and the ability to block (or ignore) telemarketers. Bob Wilson
