Net Neutrality: The fight to control the Internet

What is net neutrality? The concept of keeping the Internet open to all lawful content, information, applications, and equipment in a non-discriminatory manner

In other words: Packets cannot be prioritized in order to favor a network owner’s or an affiliate’s content Different levels of service must be offered the same way to everyone

Why worry? Network providers, mainly telephone and cable companies, are moving into voice, data, television, and movies. They have the means, the incentive, and the declared intent to discriminate …. And there is no law against it. This could slow our traffic, raise our costs, and stifle innovation “at the edge” of the net

Why worry now? “Common Carriage” required NN for the public telephone systems The dial-up Internet WAS regulated for NN With broadband, the technology, the competition, and the law changed NN no longer required as of last year Every other country has some type of non- discrimination rules in place. Many offer much faster service at lower cost

Why should the education community care? We are large consumers and producers of online content We are increasingly dependent on the Internet to fulfill our mission of education, research and community outreach We are Internet innovators The loss of NN fundamentally alters the nature of the Internet

Arguments against NN It is a solution without a problem… Networks are private property…. Net neutrality would discourage investment… We shouldn’t regulate the Internet

It is a solution without a problem… The opportunity for phone companies to discriminate is fairly new There have been several documented cases of discrimination and as the video over IP market matures there will be more Policy makers have experience with other markets under similar circumstances

Networks are private property “The telephone and cable companies have spent billions on their networks, they should be able to run them however they wish, and decide who can use them and who can’t.” But….

Networks need rules because….. Current infrastructure was built under government protected monopolies (competition) More than 2 connections to the home is unlikely anytime soon (competition) Other countries experience lower prices and higher speeds (competition) Internet is a vital public service The Internet can’t be “owned”

NN would discourage investment in new infrastructure…. Government does not control the rates for broadband access The cable operators have already made the investment For phone companies, upgrading to fiber will happen with or without NN

Where are we now? FCC: Four Principles of Internet Freedom Congress: House: Barton Bill Possible Amendment Judiciary introduces their own bill Senate: Stevens Bill Snowe/Dorgan Amendment Judiciary interested

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