Thanks to BitTorrrent, Net neutrality debate reignites

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I can see both sides of it.

Yes, I can see where something like BitTorrent (or video of any kind) can cause extreme traffic over a given network which *may* cause issues for other users. I can also see the users side when they pay a fee for a minimum bandwidth allocation and then can't get it.

It seems to me though the real issue is how bandwidth is sold. The idea of $X a month for an "all you can eat" type of service means some users are going to use every bit of bandwidth available to them and in some cases do it at the detriment of other users. (Think of the one guy that comes to a buffet lunch and cleans out all the food.)

There is also the issue that the ISPs won't enforce their own rules and policies for fear of losing a customer. Almost all of them have some sort of rules about running a server from a standard cable or DSL connection and make no mistake, if you are sharing files you ARE running a server. It's far easier to do some sort of "group" thing (bloking/slowing certain apps) than it is to actually enforce their polices on specific individules.

Is there a solution? You bet, fatter pipes all around. If you look at the POTS line into a home the average person pays $20 a minth for the line and it really is "all you can eat" for local calls. You can call mom down the street and talk as long as you like. Why? Because the system was designed with the idea in mind that some people will in fact sit on the phone for hours. In other words, the capacity is built into the infastructure and is added to any time its needed to maintain this level of service.

The plain fact here is that in the US the ISPs and back bone providers have not worked together to provide the levels of service users want and need. Other countries are not having this problem and it seems rather obvious to me that it should not be a problem in the country that invented/built the internet.

I place the blame for it directly at the feet of politicians afraid of angering their campain contributors...

Posted by: No_Ax_to_Grind   Posted on: 11/03/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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