Net Neutrality. What good is a free operating system without a network?

Ben Scott dragonhawk at gmail.com
Wed May 10 22:11:01 EDT 2006


On 5/10/06, Python <python at venix.com> wrote:
> At some point ISP's simply trade bits (peer)
> without charging each other.

  Right.  Peering is a simple, equal trade.  Big ISPs need to
interconnect with each other.  They could pay each other equal amounts
of money, but that would be dumb.  They pay in bits.  If either side
decides it isn't mutually beneficial, they can end the agreement.

> As I understand it, the big telco's are looking to leverage their
> dominance to end or at least modify peering arrangements.  They want to
> force other ISPs to pay for bit delivery.

  Could you provide a reference?  Not that I don't believe it -- that
sounds *exactly* what a big telco would try to do -- but I want to get
the story from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

  In particular, if, say, Comcast went to Level 3 and said, "Start
paying us or we'll depeer", Level 3 could just as easily say, "Fine,
and all your customers won't be able to get to the websites and warez
and porn they pay you for".  It seems like it would self-correct, and
fairly quickly.

> The Telco bill in congress is heading the wrong way.

  Anyone got links to actual legislation, existing FCC/FTC rules,
bills, proposed bills, etc?  That is what I'm most interested in, and
also haven't been able to find.  *Tons* of rhetoric and articles
making vague claims, but all of it is just as unsubstantiated as my
original essay in this forum was.

  I found one link, from Slashdot, to
<http://www.benton.org/benton_files/barton+bill.pdf>, but that doesn't
seem to have anything to do with this supposed "Network Neutrality"
issue.  It's about cable operators, sure, but I didn't find anything
about competition or pricing, other than something about government
agencies not granting preference to one provider over another in their
own dealings.  Did I miss something?

"You can twist perceptions / Reality won't budge" -- Rush, "Show Me
Don't Tell Me"

-- Ben




More information about the gnhlug-discuss mailing list