NET NEUTRALITY! BEWARE THE WORDSMITHS

Many people are confused over the current conversation about Net Neutrality! The term itself is a classic case of obfuscation much like " low-fat.!"  It is no surprise therefore that the term is being floated by FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler who in his previous life  was the chief-lobbyist for the cable television industry.

Net Neutrality disguises a plan to allow the cable television giants to determine the speed at which different content is delivered to your home over the Internet It is not about  regulating the internet but  rather the means by which the Internet is connected to your home.  Therefore if lets say NETFLX  wants to promise you faster downloads they will pay a premium to your cable provider for a fast lane on the cable system. Then of course NETFLX will in turn charge more for the service, and the cable company will find a way to do the  same. In the end the consumer pays more and the cable industry makes more money with yet another pricing tier. 

I  liken Wheeler's  Fast-Lane plan to a reverse highway HOV lane whereby all of the regular vehicles are forced into the single HOV lane and an elite group willing or able to pay more get into the other three of four Fast Lanes.  Here's hoping your favorite content can afford to get into the Fast Lane or you may wait a long time for a download.

Obfuscation aside, we currently have Net Neutrality. It seems as though  the  free market of the Internet is working well  and the last thing needed is for the cable industry  with the blessing of the FCC to become the gate-keeper and traffic cop. 

Tom Wheeler's  FCC  has no business regulating cable or the Internet through either the front or back door.  Beware of labels such as Net Neutrality or preambles like " Trust me this is going to be good for  you!"   Neither may be true.