The FCC today voted to implement rules that will allow ISPs
to discriminate against traffic that doesn't enhance their bottom line.
This means that AT&T, Comcast and yes, even WoW! will be
able to set up Internet fast lanes for "revenue enhancing" customers
at the expense of other services.
This is a huge change in how the Internet has historically
worked. It means a shift from an Internet
where anyone can set up a website or service to an Internet where only
"major players" will be able to create and deploy new and novel
websites and applications.
It means the Internet "free and open" model will
move toward the "closed and exclusive" model we see in Cable TV. Companies that provide services that compete
with cable (like Netflix for example) will be forced to pay Cable TV companies
a toll in order to move their content.
Where will the fee come from? Your pocket.
Lets say you subscribe to Comcast for example. You pay Comcast to bring you Internet traffic
from everyone on the Internet. Lets say
you subscribe to Netflix too. Well then
part of your Netflix bill will be used to pay Comcast to provide Internet
traffic to you.
So Comcast gets paid twice.
Once by you directly, and once indirectly through your Netflix bill.
If a company is trying to start a service that competes with
Netflix, they will have to negotiate passage with Comcast first, then they will
need to advertise and compete for customers, then they will have to negotiate
with content owners (a major content owner is Comcast by the way). A very tall order and one of the reasons why
over the top (OTT) television is not available here in the United
States .
We here at Wicked Broadband oppose this change. It will be bad for consumers, bad for the
Internet and ultimately bad for American innovation. The growth of Information Technology companies
like Google, Amazon, Facebook and others has been a ray of light in a world
where traditional American manufacturers are shrinking. This change will all but ensure that future
innovation on the web takes place outside of the USA .
I'd like to encourage you to contact the FCC and let them
know that you oppose this rule change. As
long as you are paying your ISP for Internet
service, all of that traffic should be treated the same.
You can comment by filling out this form. The proceeding number is 14-28: FCC Comment Form
