Lately you have probably heard a lot of talk about net neutrality on the web and in the news. Essentially, it means exactly what it says; all web traffic should be created equal. 
The question is if this is actually always the case.
Lately there have been a lot of complaints about streaming services like Hulu and Netflix not working well on many networks. It has been thought, but not conclusively proven, that many ISP providers throttle services such as these. Customers have been long time complaining about the extreme buffering that takes place on even the fastest connections. The companies all claim that just simply is not the case but if you ask the customers, they have a different view.
With net neutrality, there should be no discrimination of any broadband signal that is sent over the web. Well, in a strange twist, Netflix has agreed to pay Comcast to obtain a direct connection to Netflix when the user attempts to watch a movie. This will greatly increase the efficiency of the connection and allow for much better performance. This will come at a slight cost, however, as Netflix will raise the price for your subscription in order to cover the cost. We may see this same scenario happening with other ISP’s as well since it will mean more revenue for the companies.
It makes one wonder if this is just another way to generate more revenue. One can only wonder if this was necessary at all. All in all, the move will mean better performance for the end user but at a slight cost increase. It will also mean more revenue for the ISP as streaming services pay to have their connection enhanced for better performance. If you do not mind the extra cost, it is a win for everybody.
There has been a lot of talk on whether this moves breaks any net neutrality laws and there is actually no definitive answer. You see the laws are so vague that many of the practices of Internet Service Providers are questioned. The problem is that with the vagueness of the laws, it is hard to say if laws are actually ever violated.
Many years ago, the United States Congress gave the FCC the ability to regulate the Internet within the US. In 2002, broadband went from being considered a telecommunications service to an information service. That is where all the problems started and the questionable laws became reality. Then in 2010, the net neutrality laws were set in place. Essentially it said that all packets should be treated equal but it also gave Internet Service Providers the ability to control their networks and allow certain services better performance. This is why we are seeing throttling by some ISP’s for certain services.
In the future, it is thought that only the companies that pay to have their content streamlined will be fast. All other sites will slow to a snails pace. Could this happen? Many experts seem to think so. The FCC is currently attempting to change the rules so this scenario could become reality. If you don’t pay, your site will become a turtle. If you pay the ISP for fast access, your site will fly. If the ISP’s have their way, this is how the Internet will work.
We honestly hope this never happens but the reality of it all is that it could. The free Internet as we see it today could become a thing of the past. The only way to stop the end of net neutrality is to let your voice be heard. If enough voices are screaming, it just might make a difference.
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