If you like using the internet and you want to keep the costs of accessing it down, then this article will help you understand the issue of "Net Neutrality" and how your mobile internet just may get costlier.
I've written this article so it's easy to understand, so my examples are hypothetical. But make no mistake that my hypothetical examples can become a reality.
Network Neutrality =
(US) Freedom and equal rights for all to access any content on the internet. It's the law!!!
No Network Neutrality =
Internet Service Providers can control and filter the content on the internet at their will and charge both consumer and website owners whatever they want for you to access the internet.
Why should you care as a business owner?
You need laws like Network Neutrality in place to allow your business to flourish on the web. Without this law, you may find yourself shelling out a lot of money for your website to be seen on the mobile internet. Internet Service Providers hypothetically will have the ability to charge you for your content to be seen on their private networks.
Are you someone that uses your cell phone for the internet?
If the Net Neutrality law doesn't exist, everything from data plan rates to the content you consume on your mobile phones will be filtered to the highest bidder. A "highest bidder" would be a large organization, such as Google, that will pay the highest dollar amount for their content to be seen; hence not an open internet.
Kiss innovation goodbye.
Without laws like Net Neutrality, sites like Facebook, Wikipedia, Ebay, and Google would not exist. These websites started out as personal projects and grew into large organizations. If Net Neutrality goes away, it will be very hard, if not impossible, for innovation to occur, unless you have deep pockets.
Here's the deal.
Recently, Google and Verizon both partnered on a proposal to bury Net Neutrality in the mobile market. In fact, it seems that both Google and Verizon are going right around the FCC, who controls the airwaves, straight to Congress to change things. Google came out and said they believe in Net Neutrality, just not on mobile networks like AT&T and Verizon. Shame on you Google 13 you were born out of Net Neutrality. If Google and Verizon get their way, you will see the end of freedom on the internet in the mobile arena. Say goodbye to the days of equality ... when what you see on your cellphone is the same as what you see on your desktop computer. High speeds will be reserved to the highest bidder. Without Net Neutrality there is a possibility that your website may come in at a crawl, or maybe not at all, because there wouldn't be any regulation on data and fairness for the private mobile networks.
How are Google and Verizon pitching this?
Google, Verizon, and, as of today, AT&T are all complaining that the "Ebay" and "Amazon" types of websites consume a lot of traffic and it's unfair to them that they get a free ride from Verizon and AT&T on their dime. The problem is, AT&T and Verizon are not supplying it for free. The consumers pay both Verizon and AT&T for data consumption. Think about it. In my opinion, AT&T and Verizon charge me for internet access at a premium rate and can't even supply me speeds like ComCast and Time Warner. Many are calling this an absolutely pathetic stand from AT&T, Google, and Verizon*.
If you do not want to see the mobile internet end up this way, you should take action against this. You should communicate to your local government that you believe in Net Neutrality.
If you want to do something right now, click on the link below and let your voice be heard by our government. Click on http://savetheinternet.com and then on "Sign our Letter Now" and send a letter to FCC Chairman Genachowski. It only took me three seconds to do. Remember to fill in your name at the end of the letter.
