Professor Kevin Howley of DePauw University writes in Sunday’s Hartford Courant that Net Neutrality is the key to the continued success of the Internet.

Prof. Howley: Phone and cable ‘distort the issue’

“Put simply, net neutrality protections ensure that network operators provide nondiscriminatory access to the network and online content,” Prof. Howley writes.

“Think about it like this: When you make a phone call, the telephone company can’t keep you from talking to whomever you want, or prevent you from talking about whatever you like. Net neutrality applies the same operating principle to Internet communication.”

This principle has been in place since the Internet’s inception. In fact, the notion of non-discrimination dates to the era of railroads, when it was determined that rail lines could not favor one company’s goods over the same product of another.

Every business could transport goods to customers without bribing rail bosses for the right. In today’s information delivery market, these guidelines helped make the Internet what it is: “a vehicle for economic development, technological innovation and democratic communication,” Prof. Howley writes.

The phone and cable companies loathe any innovation that they can’t control. They’re swarming Congress with lobbyists and lawyers and blitzing the airwaves with ads designed to mislead the public and eliminate long-standing Net Neutrality provisions.

This campaign of deception “distorts the issue,” writes Prof. Howley:

“For example, representatives of the cable and telephone industries argue that the government has no right to tell them what to do with ‘their pipes.’ What these network operators neglect to mention are the enormous government subsidies that went into creating the Internet in the first place – and that continue to support network build-out, all at taxpayers’ expense.”

We now have a new chance to stop the telecom lies and turn the tide in favor of enforceable Net Neutrality. The Federal Communications Commission has asked for public comment on whether it should put into force Net Neutrality rules or allow the phone and cable companies to forge ahead with plans to become the Internet’s ultimate gatekeepers.

“[The phone and cable] pay-as-you-go formula runs counter to the Internet’s democratic character,” writes Professor Howley. “Furthermore, with this level of control over Internet access, network operators would have little incentive to upgrade their systems. … In short, monopoly control of the Internet undermines technological innovation and stifles competition.”

The public can speak out on this issue. Use SavetheInternet.com’s action tools to contact Congress, write a letter to your local newspaper, and tell your story to the FCC. Act now. The FCC’s deadline for public comment is June 15.

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 10th, 2007 at 8:35 am and is filed under Uncategorized.-->