Net Neutrality Rules Are Imminent From the F.C.C.

Wireless is not fundamentally different than wired. What if considerations like this were made for home internet service? If Qwest had allowed to block Skype because they wanted people to keep using landlines at home?<p>The Skype blocking has to go. I have a Verizon phone and Skype is so thoroughly neutered, it's absurd. They even ruin skype-to-skype calls by forcing the app to use only 3G, not wifi, and routing the call through an 800 number to Skype. Calls within the US, even when dialed through Skype, are actually carried by Verizon. On the other hand, my plan has unlimited data - it's just plain stupid. Same with text messaging... a total scam at this point.<p>So, by doing this they are preventing the next innovative applications. Better not be planning on doing something that might cause AT&#38;T to make less money, folks!

Julius Genachowski wants to pimp bandwidth to the highest bidder. It's a scary and slippery slope.<p>"We must take action to protect consumers against price hikes and closed access to the Internet and our proposed framework is designed to do just that: to guard against these risks while recognizing the legitimate needs and interests of broadband providers," - Spin Maestro and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski.<p>Really? To protect us from what hikes? What closed Internet? Please drop dead.<p>If this goes through, Europe will soon follow and then the rest, whether they like it or not. If they don't participate, they'll lose out because US will prioritize all incoming global traffic anyway. Video streams from China-based startups will load the slowest in the U.S.<p>Networking companies will rush to build large scale traffic prioritization solutions and in the process strive to achieve maximum regulatory compliance with local/federal laws so they can peddle their product better, faster.<p>ISPs will invest in the infrastructure for packet monitoring and filtering because it will directly improve their bottom line. They only will drive up the demand for "network neutrality" solutions. And once they have the infrastructure and tool chain in place, we'll see a lot more censorship and eavesdropping.<p>The consumers will be fooled into thinking that this will help their YouTube videos load faster.

If you think after the massive gift given to the healthcare industry in name of reform and the even greater gift given to the big money banks in the name of TARP that our government is motivated by anything other than the interests of industry. I have a bridge I am selling in China. Its very big and makes tons of money. Just let me know if you are interested.

I hope they forbid the Indian version of "netjacking" where ISPs make some sites free to access.

“If corporations are allowed to prioritize content on the Internet, or they are allowed to block applications you access on your iPhone, there is nothing to prevent those same corporations from censoring political speech.” said Mr. Franken<p>Oh great, so once these rules are passed companies like Paypal and Amazon won't be allowed to censor political speech such as that by wikileaks? Somehow I have a feeling these rules will cause the exact opposite. I'm much less worried about corporations censoring political speech than I am the gov't.