Re:Cato Institute: The Case Against Net Neutrality
by iwwr on Thursday December 23, 2010 @05:26AM
(#2034062)
I think Net Neutrality is profoundly a US issue. Unlike in the US, in Europe one usually has his choice of 4-5 ISPs and several good mobile bandwidth providers (plus, there is no such thing as tethering). While in the vast US suburbs there is usually just one ISP, providing tiny bandwidth and terrible service.
In the US, bandwidth is much more scarce and therefore either ISPs, content providers and individual customers are more urged to economize it. Consumers want to do it through Net Neutrality out of a fear of being stuck on a "slow lane" and ISPs want to gain the maximum value possible from their assets.
Perhaps an environment more friendly to new ISPs (less rules, more tax breaks etc) could solve this problem. Of course, established companies (semi-local monopolies) have political power. The push should be rather toward breaking this political power.
Over the long term, even without Net Neutrality, having a fast growing infrastructure will prevent the sort of abuse customers are currently being threatened with. With Net Neutrality, but still with a quasi-monopoly, I don't think people would necessarily get a better service.
In the US, bandwidth is much more scarce and therefore either ISPs, content providers and individual customers are more urged to economize it. Consumers want to do it through Net Neutrality out of a fear of being stuck on a "slow lane" and ISPs want to gain the maximum value possible from their assets.
Perhaps an environment more friendly to new ISPs (less rules, more tax breaks etc) could solve this problem. Of course, established companies (semi-local monopolies) have political power. The push should be rather toward breaking this political power.
Over the long term, even without Net Neutrality, having a fast growing infrastructure will prevent the sort of abuse customers are currently being threatened with. With Net Neutrality, but still with a quasi-monopoly, I don't think people would necessarily get a better service.