Ars Technica has a great article about a talk with the inventor of the Web, Tim Berners-Lee and why he says net neutrality is so important.
If you’re unfamiliar with the “Net Neutrality” debate the artitcle quickly sums up the problem.
Here’s my reason we need a neutral web: cell phone carriers.
Cell phone service in North America, and in particular Canada, is abysmal. The cell phone market operates kinda like what a non-neutral web might operate. If you want to sell your cell-phone or phone-software, you need the expensive permission of the carriers . Cell phones have been successful despite the hard work carriers unknowingly do to slow it down. But there are very few businesses who would look to the millions of handsets as a channel opportunity. And it’s all the carriers fault. Imagine what “neutral” cell phone service would be like?
Well, it might be a lot more like the internet in a way. Cell providers would ensure data flowed to and from whatever handset or device that is certified {ala FCC} to work on the networks. The carriers might not even provide a phone number. All the services you would use on your phone could be provided by specialists; voice calls by Skype/Vonage…, Instant messaging from Skype/Adium/MSN…, Web from Opera/Safari/…, maps from Google… etc etc. YOU CHOOSE, not the providers. As we’ve seen over the last 10 years, they’re never very good at it. Cell phones could have been the wallet of the 21st century, as they are in Japan and Europe. Even a couple years ago I could buy tram tickets via SMS on my pre-paid cell phone in Poznan, Poland!
I’ve given up on cell phones. In the last 3 years I’ve gone from cell phone uber-geek to completely apathetic about cell phones; because of the carriers. Why would I spend $800 on a cell phone with web access when that access costs $1000+/month to use.
OK, not completely apathetic. But I no longer care about the voice part of my next mobile gadget. GPS, WiFi, WiMAX, bluetooth, storage, and multimeda features are all way, WAY more important than the barely-satisfactory phone features that need a $50/month payment to use.
Cell phone carriers teach us that the web MUST remain a flat, equal-opportunity space in order for it to continue to grow and develop.
That’s cool you’re doing a paper on this. You should post the paper on your site when you’re done.
I also think contracts slow everything down. If rogers has 40% of it’s subscribers on a 3 year contract, what incentive will they have to upgrade the technology or make it cheaper? That must be why they spend so much money attracting new customers to ridiculous 3 year contracts, and then ignore them once they have them.
agreed. both about the cell phone and net neutrality.
i’m doing a paper for my cyber class right now and its about net neutrality. the funny thing about it, is that it hasn’t travelled north as much as i’d expect. that might change more and more, but in the states, its an actual issues. i’ll let you know when i’m done.
as for cell phone, you’re so right. i got my treo b/c eventually i want to get a wifi adapter and get on free wifi, from home or otherwise. skype on that would be awesome. plus now, my main focus on a new phone will be music/phone in one. like the iphone or whatever starts to come out.