The most recent development in the tech world is Verizon's current challenge to the net neutrality regulations imposed on it by the FCC.
If the court strikes down the FCC's authority to impose common carrier restrictions on Internet service providers, it would mean a complete rethinking of how we view the Internet today.
Like it or not, the Internet is a phenomena that represents one of the greatest achievements of mankind in our time.
Perhaps the most important victory is its democratization.
A small website can compete equally well with a larger one merely by offering a better service.
While it is true that large organizations are able to purchase faster servers and bandwidth, the accessibility afforded by the Internet to everyone is amazing.
Customers who pay for bandwidth connectivity get equal access to all content providers anywhere in the world.
Such a model deserves to be protected.
Verizon however thinks it has the right to discriminate and decide which websites people can and cannot see.
According to them, their "free speech" rights are being violated by the FCC's rules disallowing any kind of interference.
Which is somewhat similar to a power company complaining that they do not have the right to decide which appliances the electricity provided by them will be able to run! It's not as if telecom companies have covered themselves with glory in this regard.
They have tried and failed to block services that compete with their other offerings.
VoIP is an excellent example of an "Over the Top" or OTT service that telcos have repeatedly tried to smother.
In my opinion if Verizon wants to discriminate between various types of Internet traffic, it should be split up into two companies one dedicated to phone services, and the other to delivering Internet services.
One argument that Internet bandwidth providers or "dumb pipes" trot out is that content providers are using the networks for free where is the truth is that they already pay for bandwidth and access to customers.
No one is getting anything for free.
Verizon, AT&T, and other telcos just want to double-dip.
They somehow feel cheated by the tremendous success of the Internet and want to get more of the action without doing any extra work or providing additional services.
It's a crucial time for net neutrality in the United States.
Countries like the Netherlands have already instituted it into law.
It's about time that the US led the way and caught up with the best practices around the world by recognizing that the Internet is something special that needs to be protected against those who would seek to change its very nature.
If the court strikes down the FCC's authority to impose common carrier restrictions on Internet service providers, it would mean a complete rethinking of how we view the Internet today.
Like it or not, the Internet is a phenomena that represents one of the greatest achievements of mankind in our time.
Perhaps the most important victory is its democratization.
A small website can compete equally well with a larger one merely by offering a better service.
While it is true that large organizations are able to purchase faster servers and bandwidth, the accessibility afforded by the Internet to everyone is amazing.
Customers who pay for bandwidth connectivity get equal access to all content providers anywhere in the world.
Such a model deserves to be protected.
Verizon however thinks it has the right to discriminate and decide which websites people can and cannot see.
According to them, their "free speech" rights are being violated by the FCC's rules disallowing any kind of interference.
Which is somewhat similar to a power company complaining that they do not have the right to decide which appliances the electricity provided by them will be able to run! It's not as if telecom companies have covered themselves with glory in this regard.
They have tried and failed to block services that compete with their other offerings.
VoIP is an excellent example of an "Over the Top" or OTT service that telcos have repeatedly tried to smother.
In my opinion if Verizon wants to discriminate between various types of Internet traffic, it should be split up into two companies one dedicated to phone services, and the other to delivering Internet services.
One argument that Internet bandwidth providers or "dumb pipes" trot out is that content providers are using the networks for free where is the truth is that they already pay for bandwidth and access to customers.
No one is getting anything for free.
Verizon, AT&T, and other telcos just want to double-dip.
They somehow feel cheated by the tremendous success of the Internet and want to get more of the action without doing any extra work or providing additional services.
It's a crucial time for net neutrality in the United States.
Countries like the Netherlands have already instituted it into law.
It's about time that the US led the way and caught up with the best practices around the world by recognizing that the Internet is something special that needs to be protected against those who would seek to change its very nature.