Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Is the Net Neutrality Bill dying?


I was digging for stories for our next podcast, when I saw a headline that caught my eye.  "Don't bet on 'net neutrality,' senator says." (link)  If you haven't already been familiarized with this, here is a brief synopsis...
The backbone of the Internet consists of the worlds largest telco's: AT&T, Southwestern Bell, and the like.  They, as most people on the planet, don't think they make enough money for there services.  They are already charging you, the consumer, for your Internet access.  But they have realized that, like a bad night at the roxbury, there are two parties involved in an Internet transaction.  So if 95% of their bandwidth is going to Google, then they want to be able to send Google a bill.
Now, if you don't already see the HUGE problem here then allow me to spell it out for you.  If Yahoo pays AT&T for their bandwidth, and Google does not, then do you think you will be able to get to Google anymore?  If you said "no", then go buy yourself a melon.
If the Network Neutrality Bill (or at least some version of it) fails, we can all sit back and watch the Internet fall apart.  The House of Representatives has already voted on and denied the bill, but the Senate has not yet voted.  Please contact your Senator's office (link) soon and tell them to vote FOR the Network Neutrality Bill.  Don't let the giant corporations ruin the Internet for all of us.