Monday, February 06, 2006

The continuing fight for the open Internet

Here's hoping Congress keeps the pipes open

The issue is network neutrality. If the right law is passed it might prevent telephone, cable, and other high-speed-connection providers from becoming complete twerps.

The idea of network neutrality is simple: Whoever carries data to your house shouldn't care what's in that signal. If it's e-mail from Aunt Shirley or a phone call from the White House, it's all handled as efficiently as possible. The network is neutral. But some companies don't see it that way.

Imagine you make a phone call to a friend, but instead of hearing it ring, you get a recording: "We're sorry, but the person you are calling has not paid Verizon to carry his or her conversations. We apologize for any inconvenience."


Saving the Net: How to Keep the Carriers from Flushing the Net Down the Tubes

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