Net Neutrality

(Excerpts, Michael Weisman, Seattle Times)---Network neutrality means freedom to compete honestly, freedom to innovate and, ultimately, freedom to express ideas.

Net neutrality is summarized in three principles: nondiscrimination, interconnection and access.

Nondiscrimination means all data are treated the same; a bit is a bit is a bit. This is the heart of digital convergence. Data traffic is transported across a network without regard to where it comes from, where it's going and what it contains. Nondiscrimination restrains the network operator from discriminating for or against traffic on the network, including its own.

Interconnection means that every network (data, Internet, mobile telephone, landline telephone, etc.) has a right to connect with every other network at reasonable commercial rates. Without interconnection, there is no "network." The Internet is often described as a "network of networks." The "network effect" says that networks increase in value as they grow; interconnection accelerates the growth of network value as well as value to consumers, content producers and our society.

Access means that any user on the network has the ability to reach any other user on any other network, without discrimination or interference. "User" also means devices, such as modems, telephones, computers, fax machines or fileservers.

These three principles are the reason the global Internet can exist.

"Tiered service" violates the principle of nondiscrimination when a network operator degrades traffic on the network to make preferred traffic "work better." The purpose of degrading traffic is to force customers to move to services owned and operated by the network owners. Research has conclusively demonstrated the best way to cure bottlenecks is to build better networks.

Peer-to-peer applications were invented as a bandwidth conservation tool because the networks in the U.S. are so underdeveloped for the needs of the consuming public. P2P is a workaround to contend with this situation, by avoiding large downloads that really would clog the network and slam file servers. Network operators throttle down P2P traffic because it often comes from applications like video or VOIP that compete with the offerings of Comcast, AT&T and others. The irony is these programs help protect networks from needless downloads and redundant traffic.

Whether you call it network management, application discrimination or an improved user experience, all the opponents of network neutrality mean one thing: stifling competition and innovation.

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