All Things Net Neutrality

[Dirtbag59]

Today’s the biggest day for net neutrality in months. Here’s what’s at stake. - The Washington Post

On the other side, members of the telecom industry are arguing to the FCC that new net neutrality rules are not necessary. They and others say that the Internet's done pretty well in the absence of net neutrality regulations so far — and that in fact, adding new regulations would discourage investment in new broadband infrastructure, thereby slowing down the Internet for everyone

This argument from ISP's is easily among the ones that piss me off more than anything. Mainly because its the telecoms themselves that have done their part to make sure investment is stifled both by refusing to upgrade infrastructure and even preventing local municipalities from using their own fiber networks.

This should piss off a lot of you based in the DMV area.

Hundreds of Cities Are Wired With Fiber—But Telecom Lobbying Keeps It Unused | Motherboard

In Washington DC, for instance, the country's first 100 Gbps fiber network has been available to nonprofit organizations since 2006—but not to any of the city's residents. During a re-negotiation with Comcast in 1999 in which the company threatened to cut off cable service to the city, Comcast agreed to provide some of its fiber access to the city for the government's "exclusive use."

Here's a more recent story where Comcast's number 2 guy David Cohen was grilled on municipal broadband basically in part because one of the more open secrets out there is that Telecom companies have either prevented municipal broadband from being built or allowing it to be used by residents.
Senator Challenges Comcast, AT&T Execs On Opposition To Municipal Broadband – Consumerist

Also just another anecdote that pisses me off about this whole thing is the blatant conflicts of interest that have arisen.

For example in 2011 this story on John Boehner was released
GOP leader John Boehner vows to eliminate ‘net neutrality’

Republicans even tried to use eliminating Net Neutrality as a bargaining chip to raise the debt ceiling.

Boehncer owns stock in Comcast and AT&T so if ISP's were allowed to charge for fast lane access in theory the value of these stocks would increase.

On top of that two of Boehners biggest donors are Comcast and AT&T.
John A. Boehner (R-OH) U.S. House | MapLight - Money and Politics

As upset as I am at the disinterest among key Democrats in being more vocal towards support of Net Neutrality and Open Internet policies its clear that the GOP is a more direct threat.