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Understanding “net neutrality” and Title II vs. Section 706

Listen to / watch the next 3 minutes (or more) of this, continue reading my post if you’re still interested:




In the video, Tom admits that Section 706 sounds like the right choice. And if it were properly amended, it could be.


Understanding WHY geeks want Title II reclassification vs. Section 706 for “net neutrality.” The biggest thing is that Title II might force cable companies to allow other companies to come in and use their lines. Thus forcing MORE competition and a more “free-market-like” environment.


Section 706, by definition, is basically “net neutrality” (no throttling, etc…), and says that the FCC is allowed to remove barriers and “promote competition” in the market, BUT has not been used in the past the same way Title II has (where other companies get to come in and “lease” lines from somebody like Verizon in order to compete with Verizon). So how it will promote competition is unclear.


Internet providers WANT Sec. 706 reclassification because they suggest Title II would “reduce competition.” How many choices for internet providers or cable TV providers do you have right now? How can competition be much more reduced than it already is?


Title II, although from the 1930’s, increases competition. Pure and simple. The parts that do not apply you can easily forbear (like cable companies being forced to assume the cost of putting up telephone poles, etc…), there is more than enough legal precedent to make that simple, it is a common practice. The law from 1996 means the providers the keep the network resources they are already hoarding and not using (spectrum purchased at FCC auctions then left untapped – I can expand on this if requested), which gives Internet Providers more leeway to “experiment” with data shaping – and they assure us that although it might technically violate what we know as the definition of net neutrality, it wouldn’t violate the “spirit” of net neutrality. Because they’ve proven to be so trustworthy thus far.


I would rather see their excess capacity sold and leased to other, smaller, local internet providers and a new era of competition begin – lower prices, faster services, no monthly limitations. Title II is the best thing for the internet right now, lets hope it happens. If you’re looking for a better explaination of why we need net neutrality, I wrote an article back when I was concerned about the potential merger between Time Warner Cable and Comcast.

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