DISQUS

Barry · 3 years ago

Without network neutrality regulations in place, the cable companies will do to online video what the phone companies want to do to VoIP: abuse their position as a provider in an oligopolic marketplace to force the consumer to use their service or none at all.




The Internet provides the consumer with a tremendous number of additional choices, but without network neutrality, the ISPs will do everything in their power to maintain the status quo and prevent competitors from entering the market.

I just don't see how the "FCC bureaucrats suck" argument against network neutrality could possibly hold a candle to the threat of losing our big chance at a truly competitive marketplace in telecommunications and entertainment.

Matt Cline · 3 years ago

Wow, Barry, you haven't been reading TLF very long, have you? :) I ask because plenty of posts here have gone into some detail about what's wrong with NN regulation. In brief:

You say that ISPs will abuse their customers. Find me a case where this has actually happened. There's only one that I know of, a small-fry shop in North Carolina, and the matter was quickly settled. If anti-competitive behavior by ISPs becomes a widespread problem, then yes we should take steps to remedy it. But it's not a problem right now. Why solve a problem that doesn't exist? Don't we have enough work to do solving problems that already exist?

We have no NN regulation right now. If ISPs were going to abuse their customers as you describe, why aren't they doing it already?

Furthermore, we already have a "truly competitive marketplace in telecommunications and entertainment". At least, the market is more competitive than it has been in, like, ever. NN regulation likely won't make the market more competitive. If existing communications regulations are any guide, it will make the market less competitive.