Comments on: Net Neutrality – Important or not?

By: Geek-Speak | Friday Fun(?): Net Neutrality on The Daily Show

Geek-Speak | Friday Fun(?): Net Neutrality on The Daily Show — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:45:12 +0000

[...] thinking about that, it looks like Net Neutrality is already under threat in the UK. There was the story about Virgin Media a while ago, which we haven’t really heard much else about except that Virgin see it as [...]

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 13:19:57 +0000

Thanks very much for the comments guys. I’ve heard good things about Be (http://www.bethere.co.uk) , but I’m currently still tied into my VM contract.

Here’s my rather simplistic take on it:

I pay VM a monthly fee to be able to download data at 2Mbit… OK, it’s not a guaranteed speed, but the idea is that I should get the best speed possible within that upper limit. Whatever data I request, whether it’s from VMs own homepage, the BBC iPlayer, or some other source, that data should be delivered to me as quickly as possible because I paid for that privilege.

So, really VM will need to change their advertising: “£xx for 2Mbit broadband access to our partners’ sites… Download speed from non-partner sites will be lower than 2Mbit”.

Doesn’t sounds like such a good deal any more, does it?

By: Lurch Kimded

Lurch Kimded — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:17:56 +0000

I am a supporter of net neutrality from what I know of it as I oppose any situation that could create a two tiered www (I would internet but really there is already one, as not everyone has a backbone connection to Internet2 :)). I really do think that net neutrality is a key issue (along with how we deal with copyright etc)

As a user of Virgin’s broadband I am all too aware of their throttling of speeds for heavy users, this news is not something that makes me want to stay with them if I can find another service provider who has no download caps (I know Virgin technically does but it feels less inhabiting than others do).

By: DarkSteele

DarkSteele — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:19:03 +0000

The average person will probably accept it if it is forced upon them, I mean look at how people are shackling themselves to the iphone contracts (making the whole shebang cost over 1000 dollars) just because its shiny and has cool features. And the double speak that is inherent in the debate is likely to confuse, and therefore lose the attention and attempts at caring of, a lot of people.

But, I feel, or atleast hope, that people who use the internet frequently think this is a big deal. I certainly do, I think even the possibility is ridiculous. This is not the way for big companies to get more traffic for their sites, by attempting to force intelligent consumers into things they will invariably turn them off to that ISP. That being said I hope that, if this becomes the trend, then a competitor or two that refuses to have a preferred citizen-style outlook at the internet. I’d probably sign up even if it cost a little more.