Net Neutrality --- For Once, Everyone Wins

Related question: Why are there ISPs in the first place?What special role do they play and is it necessary?

Replying to both of you with another question: Why is the cost of Internet access so different from place to place?Electricity prices are pretty standard wherever you go (as long as the area is developed, etc.), but I paid about $20/mo for Internet in my old city and am paying $65/mo for it where I live now.Also, how much sense would a pay-for-usage system work with the Internet? My light bill is different every month depending on how much electricity I use. Landline phones work the same way, as well as some cell phones. Why not Internet?One effect of switching to such a system, as far as I can see, would be a reduction in ads; sites would have to keep down ads if they wanted traffic or else no one would visit their bandwidth-heavy sites and pay for content they don't want.That might even be a side effect of the new rules, ad-laden sites won't be able to pay the ISPs to give them extra bandwidth, meaning their sites will either be slower and discouraging to visitors or they will cut back on the fancy ads to keep their sites loading quickly.Alternatively, ISPs might keep upping their capabilities to handle the ads and jack up their prices to everyone, distributing the costs over all their customers instead of only increasing charges on the folks actually causing the trouble.Edited by Jon, : No reason given.

Maybe. But what about power companies? Water? These local monopolies have relatively stable prices. I'd be interested to know how much you pay. I was getting (I think) 12 Mb DSL from CenturyLink at $20/mo. That was an introductory price. I think it is usually about $40/mo for that service, though I have found their 4Mb speed to be sufficient for everything I do; I only upgraded because the introductory price made the 12 and 4 the same price.But in my old city competition was fiercer than it is here. Century Link is very expensive where I live now, being about the same as the cable company's Internet. I can agree with that. The service we have now is junk compared to our old service. The television service is even worse than the over-the-air service my parents use. But the only alternative is satellite; because the cable company packages the TV for less than free with the Internet, there are no over-the-air channels in my area.I've investigated the price difference. I could save about $20/mo if I lived two counties over, where there is a competing cable company/ISP. It's more than clear to me that the lack of competition leads my ISP to rape me jus' 'cause it can.It will be interesting (and pleasant) if the net neutrality rules have any impact on quality and price of service. I fear they won't, though. ISPs will use them like employers use the AACas an excuse to jack up prices and downgrade service.They will screw over America, blame the government, turn more people into idiot Reduncelicans, and make a dandy profit from it all.God. Bless. America.Jon

All the more reason the Internet companies will start raping their customers and blaming the government.

My point is that they will now treat them even worse...

I did in my previous posts.Just like employers used ACA to excuse cutting hours or hiring people only at part-time, the big, bad ISPs will start sending out letters with their bills explaining that 'due to the new Net Neutrality rules' they are going to have to start cutting some services or charging more.Stuff that would have previously gotten people pissed off at them, they can now pass on to the government for blame.

Agreed. Neither do I. Of course.I'm just giving an opinion based on how weaselly big companies are. Sure. But they can do even more of it if they can blame it on the government; and they might create a few Rediculouscans in the process. I don't know if they should expect it, but I can see it happening. It also depends a lot on one's idea of what 'worse' is in regards Internet access. Increasing competition is one way to go; it is definitely preferable to the current system. Alternatively, a system similar to how utilities are run (with heavy regulation in the form of price controls and service standards) might not be too bad either.The new rules are likely a good thing overall.But being good overall doesn't stop ISPs from jacking up rates just for fun and blaming the government for it.

Probably. But other people might have different opinions on it.Either way, it seems a possible scenario. Do you disagree with that?

Okay. That might all be true, but I don't see how it relates to my claim that ISPs might try to raise their rates and blame the government.