22nd
On Net Neutrality
I think the FCC’s plan is potentially a win, if it actually does what they say it will. Phone and cable companies won’t be able to muck with the bits, and wireless providers will be able to prioritize service when necessary.
Think of it this way: if you can’t watch video in real time on AT&T, then switch providers to a carrier with a more video-friendly network. Or use wi-fi.
One reason that wireless providers need leeway is that the number of users on any one wireless cell is bound to fluctuate. If there’s suddenly a crowd in the area, the bandwidth use is going to spike. The cell needs to be able to prioritize voice and text packets at the expense of other services, the theory goes, in order to keep the largest number of subscribers connected.
In practice, of course, it would be better if providers invested in their physical networks rather than trying to rely on complex filtering schemes to squeeze every packet out of their existing plant.
One thing that would make all of this easier for wireless consumers to swallow: a ban on carrier-locked phones. Just sayin.
Update: A lot of people I respect are disappointed that the FCC hasn’t gone far enough to protect freedom of speech or fair access to network transit. You’re right, they haven’t. That doesn’t mean the current plan is a step backward or the end of the Internet, and we should in no way stop fighting for those things or demanding them from our carriers.
I think the whole issue of paid prioritization is a red herring. Who will buy into it? Just because your packets have priority doesn’t mean people will want them. It doesn’t make sense to me, from a content producer’s point of view. If a carrier reduced service to the point where the only way you could deliver content on their network was by paying extra, customers would desert them in droves for having a shitty network. If you can explain it, please do. I think it’s a hare-brained scheme cooked up by old-skool telcom CEOs who don’t know the difference between greed and a sustainable business model.
