“Net Neutrality is an effort by the FCC to enshrine a scarcity into the internet framework. This is done by mandating that everyone is entitled to as much bandwidth as the want, anytime. That is not possible, as there is only so much bandwidth.”
This is not my understanding of it, at least in its “pure” form. Please provide a link or citation.
The real idea of “Net Neutrality” is that no information (data) should be favored over another by any given Internet Service Provider (ISP). Some obvious examples would be Comcast or Time Warner interfering with Netflix, Hulu or Youtube data streams in order to favor their own TV service. There have also been cases of ISPs interfering with peer-to-peer software, which may be used for entirely legitimate purposes like downloading free software, or open content.
There is also no real scarcity of bandwidth, and the situation is likely to get better over time rather than worse. That’s because advances in optical data transmission are outpacing every other computer related technology, and also far outpacing the real growth in demand for bandwidth.
I favor unlimited caps simply because it’s one less thing to worry about and track, but if limited caps are imposed for home broadband they should be very high, at least 250 GB/month. A pretty good overview of the entire topic (from a Canadian perspective) is at:
http://politeching.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/debunking_bandwidth-capacity-myth/
I hope free market competition will keep unlimited data plans the norm.
There may be “Net Neutrality” legislation out there that’s nefarious, but actual Net Neutrality is about the freedom to use your Internet connection as you please, rather than as mandated by your ISP or other entity.
The sentence you reference is my informed opinion taking into account the regulatory history of the FCC; the action of FCC administrators since inception; the writing of communications “experts” who support net neutrality; the history of communications regulation; and the inevitable tendency of government to control human inter-communications.
Government wants control. Always has, always will.