I sit here pulling my hair out
after a movie I wanted to watch on Netflix refuses to buffer in high
definition. I have a nice LED television to enjoy my media on, and I have a
fast internet connection with Verizon FiOS. Why should I have so much trouble
trying to enjoy a movie? In the past year, Netflix has been ensnared in
situations caused by internet service providers (ISPs) who are congesting their
network interconnections between content providers, like Netflix, and consumers
like you and me. As Netflix grew as a content provider, it used third party
content delivery networks (CDNs) and third party transit providers in order to
distribute traffic into ISPs’ networks. However, certain ISPs such as Comcast,
AT&T, and Verizon, have purposefully congested those interconnections in
order to receive, maybe even extort, payments from Netflix in exchange for
access to so-called “fast-lanes.” In order to provide a better experience for
their customers, Netflix is forced to pay these tolls to ISPs.
However,
Netflix believes this issue of net neutrality is bigger than just providing a
high definition video into the living rooms of their customers. The company
fears the influence that ISPs can have over future content services if stronger
neutrality laws are enacted. If ISPs can basically control the success of a
service or content provider by creating an unsatisfactory experience with its
consumers, then the internet is at a “crossroads” as described by Netflix. One
road is described as an internet filled with legalized discrimination, content
blackouts, and content disputes whereas the other is built on a strong
foundation of neutrality rules allowing it to be open, scalable, and affordable.
The
internet itself has become one of the biggest platforms for advancement for
people around the world. It allows access to the largest collection of information,
services, and goods, and, without net neutrality, numerous ISPs could essentially
control what their customers could access. The idea of net neutrality is that
an internet packet, regardless of its source, gets to its destination without
being discriminated against. This means that information sent from Netflix,
YouTube, Google, or whatever-site-you-visit to a consumer is treated exactly
the same. Without strong neutrality, ISPs can continually demand escalating
payments from content providers in order to ensure that we, the consumers, are
satisfied. If this current situation remains this irrational into the future,
it could change the whole landscape of new companies developing; not paying
these fines to ISPs could prevent one’s startup from taking off five or ten
years from now.
With
this developing situation, we, the consumers, should be the most wary regarding
the outcome. Currently, Netflix is the big player that is pushing stronger
neutrality. What if over the coming months and years that services such as
Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube all have their data throttled on their way to
your favorite devices? What if your favorite game now lags as you play online
because the developers have not paid your ISP for a “fast-lane?” If this is how
the current situation of neutrality develops into, consumers would be up in
arms in record time. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the
underlying regulatory body that oversees situations like this, and consumers
must pressure them into introducing stronger neutrality rulings. Anything short
of that could lead us down a path where the internet turns into an ISP money
pit where your favorite content providers could ultimately charge you more
money in turn for delivering your requested content.
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