FCC Net Neutrality Ruling: Do you agree?

[gene]

Last Thursday the FCC voted in favor of reclassifying the Internet as a Title II public utility. This means all US-based Internet services will fall under FCC regulation giving it the power to exercise a series of rules intended to enforce net neutrality. The move gives the FCC the power to back up what had previously been a toothless 2005 net neutrality policy statement. But the decision is not without its detractors from the Republican party. Despite the criticisms, we'll look at how Internet regulation has a long-term positive outlook for America.

Read about the FCC Net Neutrality Ruling and What it Means

 

[Schurkey]

I'm prepared to accept that there may be a downside to the FCC decision. However, the alternative--allowing Comcast and the other Corporate Criminals to have their way--is certainly worse.

To paraphrase the Seventh Day Adventists, we don't need better laws, we need better corporations.

 

[flamingeye]

I don't want more government, but we do need strong rules for the internet to keep big cable companies from turning the internet into yet another cable services

 

[Irvrobinson]

This was inevitable, because the national economy has become dependent on the internet. Even the government is dependent on the internet to a large extent. Using a 1934 statute intended to regulate the telephone industry is a stretch, but waiting for Congress to pass a new law is impractical. Anyway, how else can we ensure that the porn industry gets a level playing field with Netflix?

 

[highfigh]

I went to a Luxul training session yesterday and the trainer mentioned that because of the Net Neutrality rules, routers will be required to have a battery backup, starting next year. Whether this is true or not, I don't know but I fail to see how it will be beneficial when electric service can be disabled by a storm or some other damage- if the power is out, how will a battery backup on our network help? Unless it's needed to report to a medical system for a patient's condition or for security systems, people aren't going to be able to watch Netflix, anyway. If this requirement is for the providers, to maintain operation when the power goes out, I might be OK with it but it seems like a way to force higher prices for unnecessary regulation on us.

How will all of the old batteries be disposed of?

Just more crap to deal with.

 

[TLS Guy]

As usual the EU want to do the opposite and fracture the Internet.

America has the economic power to end the EU and should.

 

[Irvrobinson]

As usual the EU want to do the opposite and fracture the Internet.

America has the economic power to end the EU and should.

One factor - many Europeans see the internet as a US-dominated infrastructure that enables the domination of the European economy by US-based corporations. It is not surprising there's a fracture-the-internet mentality over there.

I agree that the EU is fundamentally broken, but what would you replace it with?

 

[jliedeka]

I think it had to be done but we really need new legislation that addresses the internet. Unfortunately, most members of congress are technically challenged - even by the standards of most non-IT people. It would be tough to get fair legislation out of people who listen more to their donors.

Perfect net neutrality, treating all packets as equal, removes the possibility of prioritizing things like 911 calls. It's not an issue now but could become one.

Jim

 

[TLS Guy]

One factor - many Europeans see the internet as a US-dominated infrastructure that enables the domination of the European economy by US-based corporations. It is not surprising there's a fracture-the-internet mentality over there.

I agree that the EU is fundamentally broken, but what would you replace it with?

The Europeans are just phobic about loosing language especially.

It really is the Eurozone that is the fundamentally flawed disaster. It has a currency in search of a country.

The EU started out as a free trade zone, and that is what it should go back to being. It should not be stopping the expulsion of terrorists on grounds it deprives them of the right to a decent life!

 

[3db]

The Europeans are just phobic about loosing language especially.

It really is the Eurozone that is the fundamentally flawed disaster. It has a currency in search of a country.

The EU started out as a free trade zone, and that is what it should go back to being. It should not be stopping the expulsion of terrorists on grounds it deprives them of the right to a decent life!

Don't broad brush Europe like that. There are a few countires in Europe worried about their language, not all of them. Germany is NOT one of them. If anything, Germany would benefit greatly from leaving the EU.

 

[TLS Guy]

Don't broad brush Europe like that. There are a few countires in Europe worried about their language, not all of them. Germany is NOT one of them. If anything, Germany would benefit greatly from leaving the EU.

That is true, however I doubt Germany will leave.

The countries seem on the whole to stick to the EUSSR like flies to fly paper.

Anti EU parties have trouble gaining traction. The most successful is UKIP. Marie La Le Pen is ahead in the polls in France with her National Front, but that is a frankly fascist outfit.

 

[HexOmega]

I went to a Luxul training session yesterday and the trainer mentioned that because of the Net Neutrality rules, routers will be required to have a battery backup, starting next year. Whether this is true or not, I don't know but I fail to see how it will be beneficial when electric service can be disabled by a storm or some other damage- if the power is out, how will a battery backup on our network help? Unless it's needed to report to a medical system for a patient's condition or for security systems, people aren't going to be able to watch Netflix, anyway. If this requirement is for the providers, to maintain operation when the power goes out, I might be OK with it but it seems like a way to force higher prices for unnecessary regulation on us.

How will all of the old batteries be disposed of?

Just more crap to deal with.

This is interesting logic. Did the presenter indicate that the battery is required on the provider side or the customer side? To think that ISP routers are not already protected against power loss by multiple layers of backup power (UPS, Generator, etc.) would seem fairly absurd. If they were referring to the customer side, I find their claim dubious based on the fact that VoIP carriers are NOT currently required by Federal law to provide battery backup to their customers.

The FCC does require LECs maintain backup power for 24 hours at Central Offices and 8 hours at remote sites. Perhaps the presenter assumed the ISPs would fall under the same category as telecom LECs in making his/her claim?

FWIW, here is the FCC CFR regulating backup power at LEC sites:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/12.2

 

[TLS Guy]

In isolated area backup is essential.

The local communications company that provides Internet, phone and a TV DVR service via fiber cable has a battery backup on the converter.

I have my router on UPS as well as one of my cordless phones.

They would keep communication for 20 min if needs be. However I have the auto start generator that comes on automatically in five seconds.

In the last two years we have had a couple of episodes of severe weather causing some serious problems.

This is the only residence that can keep communication with the outside world during these events, and has been useful.

And yes, we could watch Netflix!

We were watching a movie with friends during a power cut last summer in a storm.

Everything is on a UPS except the power amps. The generator came on quick enough before the power supply caps in the amps were completely exhausted!

 

[RichB]

I had not noticed that the internet was broken.
Netflix had a beef with FIOS but that got fixed.

Did I miss something?

- Rich

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I had not noticed that the internet was broken.
Netflix had a beef with FIOS but that got fixed.

Did I miss something?

- Rich

Ha, Well yea. You missed quite everything.
You can start here:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/net-neutrality-for-dummies.93743/

 

[RichB]

Ha, Well yea. You missed quite everything.
You can start here:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/net-neutrality-for-dummies.93743/

I read it.
More competition removes bad practices. Government regulation increase lobbying and maintains them.
I even remember when we were not allowed to own phones, they had to be rented. Now, many don't have home phones. Lovely !

I am favor of everything that opens the playing field. Net neutrality is here so we will have to see.
Lately the government has been throwing cellphones at people with no oversight. The cell providers get paid by the government and cell pricing goes up for those who pay. It is this type of intrusion, rife with corruption, that affects all providers and raises prices.

Higher prices mean less customers and that means less innovation.

- Rich

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Unfortunately increasing ISP competition is NOT of Title II rules just FCC just applied.
What needs to be done is a regulated un-bundling of wire and service provider. Also long as current status quot stays - ISP competition would not improve and bad practices (like Comcast money ransom from Netflix) could only be prevented by Title II regulation.
Lobbing existing regardless of regulation, in fact majority lobby groups against any regulation.

"Government throwing cellphones at people " - this doesn't even begin to make any sense.

RichB - you ether joking, confused or trying to mislead

 

[RichB]

"Government throwing cellphones at people " - this doesn't even begin to make any sense.

Exactly. Get ready for more nonsense

- Rich

 

[jliedeka]

Obama threw a cell phone at me and bruised my forehead.

 

[TheWarrior]

Its ok, the Internet Freedom Act is here to wipe out net neutrality....

This is why you vote in midterm elections, folks!