Net Neutrality Advocates Blast Google, Verizon Plan

Net neutrality advocates claim Google and Verizon's joint policy proposal for an "open Internet" will do more harm than good when it comes to keeping networks as open to all data. Critics claim the proposal is "worse than feared" and if adopted will result in users paying premium rates to access content such as critical health care services and access to online gaming platfoms.

In a press conference Monday the two Internet giants detailed a plan that would require all broadband connections to be content neutral, preventing service providers from blocking or degrading Web traffic. While on the surface the proposal looks like Google and Verizon are looking out for the best interests of the Internet as a whole, many feel that the companies have a hidden agenda.

The biggest sore spot identified by leading net neutrality experts centers on Google and Verizon's notion that some Internet traffic should be treated differently than other types of traffic. Things such as "advanced educational services, or new entertainment and gaming options" Google and Verizon argue these services should get preferential treatment. Many see this as Google and Verizon attempting to take steps to create a pay-to-play tier of higher bandwidth and more reliable Internet service. The end result might be either content providers or consumers will have to pay more for access to a premium version of the Internet.

Article:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/202964/net_neutrality_advocates_blast_goo...

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Note: The FCC was not impressed by the Google / Verizon Pony Show

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Opinion Note: Both Google & Verizon both know that what might be described as Internet II is on the horizon and they appear to be setting the stage so that Net Neutrality will not apply to Internet II & that small players will in fact be shut out of the system or have to go through companies like Google or Apple or Microsoft to participate in content / app creation / publication.
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Winners, Losers From the New Net Neutrality

–U.S. versus Others–

It may well be that value is created from such an agreement and all parties are winners to varying degrees.

But if it turns out to be a zero-sum game, U.S. telcos and U.S. small media are net losers and U.S. big media are net winners.

Taking that argument further, the situation in Europe, for example, would be: net losers European telcos and small media; net winners, U.S. and European big media.

So given the upside for U.S. companies overseas, expect pressure from the U.S. for Net Neutrality 2.0 to be implemented in Europe in due course.

Article:

http://blogs.wsj.com/source/2010/08/09/winners-losers-from-the-new-net-n...

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Opinion Note: US consumer, like all consumers, will be the net losers if elite media / telecom get by with the great Internet Highway Robbery they are attempting to execute. The assumption of criminals is that their intended victims will sit idle and cooperate. Proprietary Device driven / wireless internet is probably doomed if the telecoms intend to try to use wireless to nickel & dime the consumers to death while at the same time acting to censor content and applications. The Obama administration may be tolerant or even encouraging these attempts to rip consumers off by big media / telecoms but the next President may be inclined to bust the companies up and prosecute them for talks that in them-self may actually violate existing anti-trust laws.

If Eric Holder was doing his job there would be an investigation of Google & Verizon for attempting to circumvent FCC Regulation & Court Rulings as well as vertical monopoly questions as well as conspiring to shut competition out of the market place. The arrogance of people at Google in thinking they operate in a different world from the rest of us where a different set of rules apply to them is getting beyond old.

Casual Internet Surfers may believe that Google lives by its rule of "Do No Evil" but the rest of us that have had to put up with Google's bullshit throught the years know better.