An Update on Net Neutrality in Canada, And Why Change Will Only Occur Incrementally
Ambur MacArthur has an excellent update on the fight for net neutrality in Canada this morning, showing some growing momentum against the traffic shaping (read “traffic blocking”) practices of the biggest ISP’s. The government apparently will begin to investigate traffic shaping policies of Rogers and Bell.
There has been a lot of discussion and debate in the U.S. about the traffic shaping practices of Comast, and other ISP’s. I personally use the Verizon FIOS service and love it. For $53 a month (including taxes) I get 5 mbps downlink and 2 mbps uplink via fiber optics directly to my house. I have not had any issues with my connections, but I don’t do very much P2P traffic, which is what the ISP’s predominantly target in their traffic policies.
The FCC in the U.S. is reportedly considering some regulations on ISP’s to better define and reign in traffic shaping, but given the big money (and therefore big lobby and big lawyers) behind the big ISP’s, I think the FCC is unlikely to enact any significant or sweeping regulations (and Karl at the BroadbandReports also wonders the same thing) . The debate will likely go on and change will come in small, incremental steps.
Why?
The ISP’s currently have the advantage, as they control the entryway to the Internet for most consumers and small-to-medium sized businesses. They will do everything they can to protect their revenue as a value-added service provider, though most people see them simply as a commodity provider.
Do consumers love Comcast? Of course not. Comcast, and most other ISP’s and tv service providers, are necessary evils that simply get in the way of what people really want to do by slowing down traffic, offering high-priced services and inferior applications to those that are available on the Internet.
Do consumer need Comcast? Of course they do. Until, that is, technology for alternative means of Internet access becomes more ubiquitous and cost-effective. See WiMax (the next step beyond WiFi) and 4G / LTE (the next step beyond EVDO and GSM/UMTS) wireless technologies as possible game-changers that will enable other companies to offer broadband access.
However, WiMax and 4G are 2-3 years away from any type of widespread availability. Until then, lawyers and lobbyists will fight the good fight on behalf of the big ISP’s as they war against the inevitable transformation of their business from cutting edge technology providers to purveyors of a commodity than can easily be had elsewhere.
Have you ever seen a lawyer or lobbyist move quickly? How about a big corporation change quickly? Or an industry give up its foothold to smaller competitors easily?
This will take time.
Technorati Tags:
net neutrality, Ambur MacArthur, Canada, ISP, WiMax, 4G, Comcast, Verizon FIOS
