Broadband Is Not a Public Utility

Despite all your poo-poohing of broadband as utility, community broadband, a "utility" thrives in more than 450 communities. You can find them all here in a nice map. http://www.muninetworks.org/co...

Second, net neutrality and community broadband are well supported across the political spectrum. It is not a partisan issue. You might even find it counterintuitive to discover that most community broadband networks are built and promoted in conservative jurisdictions. Colorado is a notable example with one community voting 92% in favor of building their own network. Story here: http://www.muninetworks.org/ta...

Lastly, more than 10 years ago, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia told us, in a dissenting opinion that to paraphrase, says, "If you own the pipes, you're a common carrier, end of story". The FCC has nothing to fear in their quest to reclassify all ISPs as common carriers, and any legal attack on their action will eventually be laughed out of court. Details here: http://thedigitalfirehose.blog...

I know, I know. Facts and links to support them. Some people may have a really hard time dealing with them. Deal.

Re: Broadband Is Not a Public Utility

#5

Post by tzs » Sun, Feb 08, 2015, 7:37 AM UTC

> But often, paid prioritization is a good thing. As American Consumer Institute president Steve Pociask points out, if ESPN wants to pay Internet providers to make sure ESPN fans get their content without it counting against their data plans, why shouldn't that be allowed?

That would be allowed under the proposed paid prioritization rules, because that is not paid prioritization.