Appeals court upholds FCC's net neutrality order

Re:Appeals court upholds FCC's net neutrality order by the8472 on Tuesday June 14, 2016 @04:15PM (#11904991)

Internet is a public utility:

- you want a dumb pipe that delivers the resource. there are very few distinguishing factors on which suppliers could compete

- basic enabling technology on which other amenities depend

- installation costs dominate. you're not paying for the photons or electrons

- everyone should be served, not just customers in lucrative locations

Certainly, internet access does not rank on the same level of maslow's hierarchy of needs as clean tap water, garbage disposal or electricity. But it shares many of the supply properties.

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Re:Appeals court upholds FCC's net neutrality order by webXL on Wednesday June 15, 2016 @12:08AM (#11907123)

I not only want a dumb pipe, but one that's going to get bigger over time, like it has been, for a reasonable price. I'm not sure how net neutrality is supposed to accomplish that. I don't need my water to taste better over time, or my electricity in different voltages. You can't just declare something a utility without honestly pointing out these differences and addressing potential ramifications.

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Re:Appeals court upholds FCC's net neutrality order by Natanael_L on Wednesday June 15, 2016 @05:20AM (#11908053)

With fiber, that's solved by putting fiber in the ground in installation, to then upgrade the switches at each end as necessary.

Kind of like what electric utilities already do with small growing industries.

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Re:Appeals court upholds FCC's net neutrality order by webXL on Wednesday June 15, 2016 @12:25PM (#11910260)

Okay, but what's the incentive for providers to upgrade the switches?

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Re:Appeals court upholds FCC's net neutrality order by freeone3000 on Thursday June 16, 2016 @10:03AM (#11916151)

You pay them money.

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Re:Appeals court upholds FCC's net neutrality order by webXL on Thursday June 16, 2016 @12:58PM (#11917341)

That's not an incentive for monopolies. They'll take your money and not necessarily use it for new infrastructure. Things like increasing employee benefits (gov't social engineering / "god given right"), cost of maintaining outdated technology because "utilities need to be affordable by everyone!", lobbying, good 'ol fashion profit taking, etc. Why pay for better switches when you're not sure about your labor costs in 5 years, or your own retirement portfolio?

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