Issues Group A1: Net Neutrality
Alex Cortelyou, Ryan Curtin, Michael Malul, Chris Quintero, Elizabeth White, Raphael Rose
November 26, 2007
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Roadmap
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
History and background of Net Neutrality What is Net Neutrality? Majority views of the telecommunications companies Majority views of free-speech and internet rights advocates Government involvement in Net Neutrality Further implications and forward outlook for the internet
November 26, 2007
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A Quick Definition
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
Network neutrality is the principle that Internet users should be in control of what content they view and what applications they use on the Internet. The Internet has operated according to this neutrality principle since its earliest days. ... Fundamentally, net neutrality is about equal access to the Internet. - Erich Schmidt, CEO of Googlea
a http://www.google.com/help/netneutrality.html
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Net Neutrality In History: Telegraphs
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It shall be the duty of the owner or the association owning any telegraph line, doing business within this state, to receive dispatches from and for other telegraph lines and associations, and from and for any individual, and on payment of their usual charges for individuals for transmitting dispatches, as established by the rules and regulations of such telegraph line, to transmit the same with impartiality and good faith, under penalty of one hundred dollars for every neglect or refusal to do so. - New York telegraph legislation, 1848
November 26, 2007
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Radio
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background » Net Neutrality In History: Telegraphs » Radio » Today’s Internet What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
In the 1920s, radio was a common technology By the mid-1930s, the broadcasting spectrum was allocated so only the few had access People lost their ability to create radio broadcasts; radio became a one-directional medium controlled by large radio stations
November 26, 2007
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Today’s Internet
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background » Net Neutrality In History: Telegraphs » Radio » Today’s Internet What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
An unregulated communication medium Any computer can connect to any other computer by traversing a series of routers and hubs
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What Is Net Neutrality?
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? » What Is Net Neutrality? » Net Neutrality: An Amusement Park The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
Any person can access any webpage without discrimination Equal access for everyone; both content providers and consumers Internet Service Providers (ISPs) cannot control the content flowing through their routers
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Net Neutrality: An Amusement Park
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? » What Is Net Neutrality? » Net Neutrality: An Amusement Park The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
Some parks offer a fixed admission and free rides – a neutral Internet Other parks offer variable ride pricing and priority queues – a tiered Internet
November 26, 2007
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Why a tiered internet?
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies » Why a tiered internet? » Needing a tiered internet » Making a tiered internet Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
Net Neutrality legislation is stifling The Internet is reaching its current capacity Increasing bandwidth is expensive Legislation will slow innovation
November 26, 2007
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Needing a tiered internet
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies » Why a tiered internet? » Needing a tiered internet » Making a tiered internet Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
All data is not the same Web services have different demands E-mail Web Applications / VoIP Remote Surgery / Streaming HD Video Current network is already biased
November 26, 2007
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Making a tiered internet
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies » Why a tiered internet? » Needing a tiered internet » Making a tiered internet Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
Creating smart networks Current switching solutions are unaware of the content passing through them Content-aware networks can assure ‘Quality of Service’ Charging for enhanced service funds infrastructure–next generation networks need research and development Legislation would limit how the Internet could grow
November 26, 2007
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savetheinternet.com
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates » savetheinternet.com » Corporate Supporters Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
If Congress doesn’t act, does this mean Apple might pay 10 cents per iTunes download to BellSouth? Will Google have to pay 5 percent of ad revenue to AT&T for speedy delivery of your search results? Will we pay $1 per video played in your browser to Comcast? - Andy Kessler, “Give Me Bandwidth...”
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Corporate Supporters
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates » savetheinternet.com » Corporate Supporters Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
November 26, 2007
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Pressures On The Government
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement » Pressures On The Government » Net Neutrality-related Legislation » The FTC and FCC Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
Increased faction pressure due to incidents: Telus AOL Verizon Neutrality advocacy groups are lobbying to maintain neutrality Tiered Internet supports are lobbying against neutrality
November 26, 2007
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Net Neutrality-related Legislation
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement » Pressures On The Government » Net Neutrality-related Legislation » The FTC and FCC Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
The Internet Non-Discrimination Act of 2006 The Network Neutrality Act of 2006 Internet Freedom and Nondiscrimination Act of 2006 The Communications Opportunities Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) Act Internet Freedom Preservation Act
November 26, 2007
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The FTC and FCC
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement » Pressures On The Government » Net Neutrality-related Legislation » The FTC and FCC Future Outlook Questions or Comments?
FCC Policy statement FTC June Report
November 26, 2007
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A Tiered Internet
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook » A Tiered Internet » A Neutral Internet Questions or Comments?
Both customers and content providers would have to pay for service Customers may see a drop in prices for the lowest level of tiered access The cost of maintaining a competitive website would increase significantly Nontransparent ISPs may be responsible for the content that passes through their routers If Google did not pay, and another search engine did, would Google fall from dominance?
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A Neutral Internet
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook » A Tiered Internet » A Neutral Internet Questions or Comments?
Costs might increase for customers as a result of rising infrastructure maintenance costs Possibility of oversaturated infrastructure resulting in widespread “internet brownouts” Internet access could stay exactly the same as it currently is, transparent to consumers
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Questions or Comments?
» Roadmap » A Quick Definition History and Background What Is Net Neutrality? The Telecom Companies Net Neutrality Advocates Government Involvement Future Outlook Questions or Comments? » Questions or Comments?
These slides can be found at http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~lwhite/Issues/slideshow.pdf. It was written in L EX. AT
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