Comments on: Neelie Kroes: So close on Net Neutrality

By: Policy update May 2012

Policy update May 2012 — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 11:28:21 +0000

[...] the importance of Net Neutrality, but wrongly gauges the ability of a free market to deliver it. Neelie Kroes: So close on Net Neutrality. Meanwhile, Internet Society: There’s Room for Compromise on Net [...]

By: davidw

davidw — Thu, 31 May 2012 12:05:37 +0000

Ian, I think she’s close in that she understands the importance of Net Neutrality (pretty much). But when you say she’s going to mandate non-neutral models, do you mean that she’s going to require non-neutrality and not even permit neutral networks? I certainly don’t read her that way.

By: Ian Scales

Ian Scales — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:31:06 +0000

David – not sure she’s even close. My reading is that she’s actually going to mandate non-neutral business models with transparency as a palliative. To the extent these new models get launched (and I’m uncertain on that) it’s a case of users are going to get screwed but at least the ISP buys them a drink first

By: James Robertson

James Robertson — Wed, 30 May 2012 17:06:45 +0000

The vagaries of the market? Are you under some illusion that the govt does a better job? 2 months ago I scrapped an old car, and took the tags back to the local MVA. I’m still waiting for their acknowledgement that I did that, and – under penalty of stiff fine – I can’t cancel my car insurance until I get that acknowledgement.

As bad as Comcast and Verizon are, I would much, much rather deal with them than with any level of government. It’s possible to get companies to pay attention – it’s a near impossibility to get government to do so.