[GLLUG] Re:Network Neutrality

Charles Ulrich charles at bityard.net
Thu Feb 28 00:24:47 EST 2008


I sure hope not. My broadband usage fluctuates like crazy. Some months
I don't use my connection for anything but email, web browsing, and
doing classwork. Other months I'm torrenting Linux distros or
migrating a bunch of data off-site to my colocated server.

I, like many consumers, would rather have a relatively consistent
month-to-month service bill because it makes balancing the budget so
much easier. It also means you're not in a position where you've
suddenly used up your bandwidth quota in the middle of the month and
then have to be extra-careful about which sites you visit. A errant
youtube link or auntie's entire collection of summer vacation photos
could wind up costing you $15 more than it would two weeks later.

Metered access is one of the main reasons I don't own a cell phone.
Nobody, and I mean _nobody_ offers an affordable flat-rate plan. If
all the broadband ISPs went to this, I would be pressing my 56K
external serial modem back into service.

Charles

On Wed, Feb 27, 2008 at 4:11 PM, Brent Barker <b.w.barker at smokejive.net> wrote:
> Wouldn't it make more sense to go to a pay-per-byte plan for users?
>  That would not penalize those who use the internet once a week to
>  check email (in fact, it would be a good deal cheaper), and would
>  charge a fair price to those who like streaming media.
>
>  --Brent
>
>
>
>  On Wed, Feb 27, 2008 at 2:29 PM, Clay Dowling <clay at lazarusid.com> wrote:
>  > Last I checked, Google does pay for all of their traffic.  They buy
>  >  network connectivity from their providers, who for that money are
>  >  obligated to provide a certain amount of bandwidth to Google.
>  >
>  >  Likewise, as an end user I buy bandwidth from Comcast.  For my money,
>  >  Comcast is obligated to provide me with a certain amount of bandwidth.
>  >  Comcast has a couple of options if I go over that amount.  They can cut
>  >  off my access, or they can charge me an additional fee for the additional
>  >  bandwidth that I used.  They can then use that money to upgrade their
>  >  infrastructure.
>  >
>  >  The multi-tiered internet scheme is a shakedown.  It's the big business
>  >  version of the old protection rackets.  If any service providers try this,
>  >  I hope to see them badly burned by the courts.
>  >
>  >  Clay
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >
>  >  Andy Lee wrote:
>  >  >>>> "Brendan Bartlett" <brenbart at gmail.com> 2/27/2008 10:47 AM >>>
>  >  > Where is the error in my logic?
>  >  >
>  >  >
>  >  > Actually, your toll road example is a good one, but you are wrong on how
>  >  > it works. Trucks and busses do pay more, because they use it more. They
>  >  > take up more space, and inflict more damage on the pavement, so the cost
>  >  > to get down the road is higher.
>  >  >
>  >  > As much as I want my provider to never get in the way of getting to
>  >  > content, I also understand the importance of quality of service. There is
>  >  > no way we could run voice video and data over our WAN without setting
>  >  > preference to certain types of data. Treating every bit the same isn't
>  >  > viable with the long term goals people have for the net, but saying all
>  >  > file sharing is bad isn't the option either. Definitely a problem for the
>  >  > network engineers to fix, not the legislators.
>  >  >
>  >  > -- Andy
>  >  >
>  >  >
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