Save The Internet: Help Retain Net Neutrality

Do you want phone companies deciding what you are allowed to do or see on the internet? Perhaps have internet providers slowing connection to some services in favor of other services? Do you want to choose only from services offered by your internet service provider?

These are real threats as the giant phone and cable companies want control over what content you can access and how fast you can access it. Big companies like AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth would like content providers to pay a premium to get faster services.

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Until recently Net Neutrality has protected all service providers big and small. In August 2005 the FFC prohibited the major phone companies from discriminating and violating Net Neutrality. At the end of the summer the FCC ruling will be lifted. Currently the big companies are trying to gain control over the internet's content. If that happens content providers such as google, yahoo, youtube or insert your favorite site here _____ could be forced to pay more money to big internet service provides so users can access their servers. It seems to me that the ISPs are already making huge amounts of money from each individual internet subscriber. Annually ISPs are already making about 20 billion from broadband access fees alone.

AT&T cheif Ed Whitacre is quoted as saying in Nov. 7 Business week "Now what they would like to do is use my pipes free, but I ain't gonna let them do that because we have spent this capital and we have to have a return on it. So there is going to have to be some mechanism for these people who use these pipes to pay for the portion their using. Why should they be allowed to use my pipes."

What all this means to content providers is that the bigger companies may have to pay more money to ISPs and smaller content providers could lose their freedom. Big companies like google will take priority over smaller companies not because they are better but because they can afford too. It will no longer be about community and freedom of choice. The all mighty dollar will choose for you.

So what can you do to preserve Net Neutrality? Well for starters you can go to savetheinternet.com or itsournet.org to educate yourself on the events surrounding Net Neutrality. The sites have links to put you in contact with senators and inform you as to their stance on the issue.

Save the Internet:
http://www.savetheinternet.com/
http://www.itsournet.org/