Net neutrality

[Kb27]

Interesting scoop on what's happening in USA.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31638528

 

 

The US Telecommunications Industry Association said that broadband providers would take "immediate" legal action over the rule changes.

The main changes for broadband providers are as follows:

• Broadband access is being reclassified as a telecommunications service, meaning it will be subject to much heavier regulation
• Broadband providers cannot block or speed up connections for a fee
• Internet providers cannot strike deals with content firms, known as paid prioritisation, for smoother delivery of traffic to consumers
• Interconnection deals, where content companies pay broadband providers to connect to their networks, will also be regulated
• Firms which feel that unjust fees have been levied can complain to the FCC. Each one will be dealt with on a case by case basis
• All of the rules will also apply to mobile providers as well as fixed line providers
• The FCC won't apply some sections of the new rules, including price controls

 

[Wt_know]

this is why some content is faster loading than other when your broadband speed is equally fast

and how isp penalise (slowdown) or throttle the speed for non partner content

 

Internet providers cannot strike deals with content firms, known as paid prioritisation, for smoother delivery of traffic to consumers

Edited February 27, 2015 by Wt_know

[Mustank]

Interesting scoop on what's happening in USA.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31638528

 

 

 

[Kb27]

this is why some content is faster loading than other when your broadband speed is equally fast

and how isp penalise (slowdown) or throttle the speed for non partner content

 

 

Yes, I worked with one before.

 

It's traffic prioritization. If provider link up with media supplier, they can tag video data of that supplier to give faster access.

They can also slow down other competitors who don't pay up.

 

$$$

[zipping]

https://www.techspot.com/news/72321-official-fcc-has-killed-net-neutrality.html

 

It's official: the FCC has killed net neutrality The FCC voted along party lines to repeal net neutrality By Shawn Knight  on Dec 14, 2017, 1:58 PM 34 comments

The FCC on Thursday voted along party lines (3-2) to repeal net neutrality rules it put in place just a couple of years back under former Chairman Tom Wheeler.

The vote was postponed briefly due to what appeared to be a bomb threat. The official feed was halted although some streams continued and showed the room being evacuated and law enforcement conducting a search. A short time later, the commissioners and audience returned and the process continued.

Today’s vote faced massive opposition from Internet pioneers, technology companies, government officials and concerned citizens. Nevertheless, Chairman Ajit Pai and his fellow Republican commissioners remained determined to act on the matter and they’ve done just that.

The FCC’s vote may be in but you can be sure that the debate is far from over.

Those in favor of repealing net neutrality argue that it was never needed in the first place and that the Internet wasn’t “broken” in 2015 when the regulations were passed. Supporters of net neutrality contend that Internet providers will now be able to slow down access to certain sites and create Internet fast lanes or “prioritized access” in which select providers pay for faster access to their sites and services, thus giving them an unfair advantage compared to smaller competitors that may not be able to pay for such access.

Supporters of net neutrality also argued that the FCC’s public comment period on the matter was ripe with fraud.

The FCC’s vote may be in but you can be sure that the debate is far from over. It’ll still be a few months before the changes are filed with the Federal Register but as The Verge points out, don’t expect any sweeping changes overnight.

Internet providers will likely continue to work on subtle changes and you can almost be certain that additional legal action to bar today’s vote is coming.

 

 

https://torrentfreak.com/fcc-repeals-u-s-net-neutrality-rules-171214/

FCC Repeals U.S. Net Neutrality Rules

• By Ernesto
• on December 14, 2017
• C: 288

Breaking

 

The FCC has repealed U.S. net neutrality rules. As a result of today's vote, Internet providers have the freedom to restrict, or charge for, access to certain sites and services if they please. This also means that BitTorrent throttling and blocking could become commonplace once again, as it was a decade ago.

In recent months, millions of people have protested the FCC’s plan to repeal U.S. net neutrality rules, which were put in place by the Obama administration.

However, an outpouring public outrage, critique from major tech companies, and even warnings from pioneers of the Internet, had no effect.

Today the FCC voted to repeal the old rules, effectively ending net neutrality.

Under the net neutrality rules that have been in effect during recent years, ISPs were specifically prohibited from blocking, throttling, and paid prioritization of “lawful” traffic. In addition, Internet providers could be regulated as carriers under Title II.

Now that these rules have been repealed, Internet providers will have more freedom to experiment with paid prioritization. Under the new guidelines, they can charge customers extra for access to some online services, or throttle certain types of traffic.

Most critics of the repeal fear that, now that the old net neutrality rules are in the trash, ‘fast lanes’ for some services, and throttling for others, will become commonplace in the U.S.

This could also mean that BitTorrent traffic becomes a target once again. After all, it was Comcast’s ‘secretive’ BitTorrent throttling that started the broader net neutrality debate, now ten years ago.

Comcast’s throttling history is a sensitive issue, also for the company itself.

Before the Obama-era net neutrality rules, the ISP vowed that it would no longer discriminate against specific traffic classes. Ahead of the FCC vote yesterday, it doubled down on this promise.

“Despite repeated distortions and biased information, as well as misguided, inaccurate attacks from detractors, our Internet service is not going to change,” writes David Cohen, Comcast’s Chief Diversity Officer.

“We have repeatedly stated, and reiterate today, that we do not and will not block, throttle, or discriminate against lawful content.”

It’s worth highlighting the term “lawful” in the last sentence. It is by no means a promise that pirate sites won’t be blocked.

As we’ve highlighted in the past, blocking pirate sites was already an option under the now-repealed rules. The massive copyright loophole made sure of that. Targeting all torrent traffic is even an option, in theory.

That said, today’s FCC vote certainly makes it easier for ISPs to block or throttle BitTorrent traffic across the entire network. For the time being, however, there are no signs that any ISPs plan to do so.

If they do, we will know soon enough. The FCC requires all ISPs to be transparent under the new plan. They have to disclose network management practices, blocking efforts, commercial prioritization, and the like. And with the current focus on net neutrality, ISPs are likely to tread carefully, or else they might just face an exodus of customers.

Finally, it’s worth highlighting that today’s vote is not the end of the road yet.

Net neutrality supporters are planning to convince Congress to overturn the repeal. In addition, there are is also talk of taking the matter to court, with Attorney Generals planning a multi-state lawsuit to challenge the repeal.

Tagged in: net neutrality

 

[Mustank]

Mean set up box cannot use?

[Lala81]

Mean set up box cannot use?

 

it means some services like say netflix may pay more so that their service/streaming seems better than other companies.

 

well it's mostly irrelevant to a regular joe in singapore anyway.

[zipping]

This might be better explained here....

 

http://www.todayonline.com/world/us-regulators-ditch-net-neutrality-rules-giving-providers-free-rein

 

US regulators ditch net neutrality rules, giving providers free rein

By CECILIA KANG

A woman leaves a protest signs outside the Federal Communications Commission headquarters in Washington. In a 3-to-2 vote, the agency scrapped Obama-era rules regulating the businesses that connect consumers to the internet, granting broadband companies power to potentially reshape Americans’ online experiences. Photo: The New York Times

Published15 December, 2017

Updated 15 December, 2017

 

WASHINGTON — The US Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday (Dec 14) to dismantle rules regulating the businesses that connect consumers to the internet, granting broadband companies the power to potentially reshape Americans' online experiences.

The agency scrapped the so-called net neutrality regulations that prohibited broadband providers from blocking websites or charging for higher-quality service or certain content. The federal government will also no longer regulate high-speed internet delivery as if it were a utility, like phone service.

The action reversed the agency's 2015 decision, during the Obama administration, to have stronger oversight over broadband providers as Americans have migrated to the internet for most communications. It reflected the view of the Trump administration and the new FCC chairman that unregulated business will eventually yield innovation and help the economy.

It will take weeks for the repeal to go into effect, so consumers will not see any of the potential changes right away. But the political and legal fight started immediately. Numerous Democrats on Capitol Hill called for a bill that would reestablish the rules, and several Democratic state attorneys general, including Eric T Schneiderman of New York, said they would file a suit to stop the change.

Several public interest groups including Public Knowledge and the National Hispanic Media Coalition also promised to file a suit. The Internet Association, the trade group that represents big tech firms such as Google and Facebook, said it also was considering legal action.

The commission's chairman, Ajit Pai, vigorously defended the repeal before the vote. He said the rollback of the rules would eventually benefit consumers because broadband providers like AT&T and Comcast could offer them a wider variety of service options. His two fellow Republican commissioners also supported the change, giving them a 3-2 majority.

"We are helping consumers and promoting competition," Mr Pai said. "Broadband providers will have more incentive to build networks, especially to underserved areas."

The discarding of the net neutrality regulations is the most significant and controversial action by the FCC under Mr Pai. In his first 11 months as chairman, he has lifted media ownership limits, eased caps on how much broadband providers can charge business customers and cut back on a low-income broadband programme that was slated to be expanded to nationwide carriers.

His plan for the net neutrality rules, first outlined early this year, set off a flurry of opposition. The issue has bubbled up occasionally for more than a decade, with the debate getting more intense over the years as digital services have become more ingrained in everyday life.

Critics of the changes say that consumers will have more difficulty accessing content online and that startups will have to pay to reach consumers. In the past week, there have been hundreds of protests across the country, and many websites have encouraged users to speak up against the repeal.

In front of a room packed with reporters and television cameras from the major networks, the two Democratic commissioners warned of consumer harms to come from the changes.

Mignon Clyburn, one of the Democratic commissioners, presented two accordion folders full of letters protesting the changes, and accused the three Republican commissioners of defying the wishes of millions of Americans by ceding their oversight authority.

"I dissent, because I am among the millions outraged," said Mr Clyburn. "Outraged, because the FCC pulls its own teeth, abdicating responsibility to protect the nation's broadband consumers."

Brendan Carr, a Republican commissioner, said it was a "great day" and dismissed critics' "apocalyptic" warnings.

"I'm proud to end this two-year experiment with heavy-handed regulation," Mr Carr said.

During Mr Pai's speech before the vote, security guards entered the meeting room at the FCC headquarters and told everyone to evacuate. Commissioners were ushered out a back door. The agency did not say what had caused the evacuation, other than Mr Pai saying it had been done "on advice of security." The hearing restarted a short time later.

Despite all the uproar, it is unclear how much will eventually change for internet users. The 2015 rules were essentially a protective measure, largely meant to prevent telecom companies from favouring some sites over others. And major telecom companies like AT&T and Comcast, as well as two of the industry's major trade groups, have promised consumers that their experiences online would not change.

Mr Pai and his Republican colleagues have echoed the comments of the telecom companies, which have told regulators that because of the limits to their business imposed by the rules, they were not expanding and upgrading their networks as quickly as they wanted.

"There is a lot of misinformation that this is the *end of the world as we know it' for the internet," Comcast's senior executive vice president, David Cohen, wrote in a blog post this week. "Our internet service is not going to change."

But with the FCC making clear that it will no longer oversee the behaviour of broadband providers, telecom experts said, the companies could feel freer to come up with new offerings, such as faster tiers of service for online businesses willing and able to pay for it. Some of those costs could be passed on to consumers.

Those experts also said that such prioritisation could stifle certain political voices or give the telecom conglomerates with media assets an edge over their rivals.

Consumer groups, startups and many small businesses said there have already been examples of net neutrality violations by companies, such as when AT&T blocked FaceTime on iPhones using its network.

These critics of Mr Pai, who was nominated by President Donald Trump, said there is not enough competition in the broadband market to trust that the companies will try to offer the best services for customers. The rule changes, they believe, give providers incentive to begin charging websites to reach consumers — a strong business model when there are few alterative broadband companies for consumers.

"Let's remember why we have these rules in the first place," said Michael Beckerman, president of the Internet Association, the trade group. "There is little competition in the broadband service market."

Dozens of Democratic lawmakers, and some Republicans, have pushed for Congress to pass a law on the issue, if only to prevent it from flaring up every couple of years at the FCC — and then leading to a court challenge.

One Republican commissioner, Mike O'Reilly, said he supported a law created by Congress for net neutrality. But he said any law should be less restrictive than the 2015 rules, protecting the ability of companies to charge for faster lanes, a practice known as "paid prioritisation."

Any legislative action appears to be far off, however, and numerous online companies warned that the changes approved Thursday should be taken seriously.

"If we don't have net neutrality protections that enforce tenets of fairness online, you give internet service providers the ability to choose winners and losers," Steve Huffman, chief executive of Reddit, said in an interview. "This is not hyperbole."

Netflix, which has been relatively quiet in recent weeks about its opposition to the change, said that the decision "is the beginning of a longer legal battle." THE NEW YORK TIMES

Why net neutrality was repealed and how it affects you

NEW YORK — The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday (Dec 14) to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules, which required internet service providers to offer equal access to all web content without charging consumers for higher-quality delivery or giving preferential treatment to certain websites.

The vote is a big win for Ajit Pai, the agency's chairman, who has long opposed the regulations, saying they impeded innovation. He once said they were based on "hypothetical harms and hysterical prophecies of doom."

THESE ARE THE RULES THAT WERE REPEALED

The original rules went into effect in 2015 and laid out a regulatory plan that addressed a rapidly changing internet. Under those regulations, broadband service was considered a utility under Title II of the Communications Act, giving the FCC broad power over internet providers. The rules prohibited the following practices:

Blocking: Internet service providers could not discriminate against any lawful content by blocking websites or apps.

Throttling: Service providers could not slow the transmission of data based on the nature of the content, as long as it is legal.

Paid prioritisation: Service providers could not create an internet fast lane for companies and consumers who pay premiums, and a slow lane for those who don't.

HOW IT COULD AFFECT YOU

Many consumer advocates have argued that if the rules get scrapped, broadband providers will begin selling the internet in bundles, not unlike how cable television is sold today. Want to access Facebook and Twitter? Under a bundling system, getting on those sites could require paying for a premium social media package.

In some countries, internet bundling is already happening. In October, Rep Ro Khanna, D0-Calif, posted a screenshot on Twitter from a Portuguese mobile carrier that showed subscription plans with names like Social, Messaging and Video. He wrote that providers were "starting to split the net."

Another major concern is that consumers could suffer from pay-to-play deals. Without rules prohibiting paid prioritisation, a fast lane could be occupied by big internet and media companies, as well as affluent households, while everyone else would be left on the slow lane.

Some small-business owners have also been concerned these issues will affect them, worrying that industry giants could pay to get an edge, and leave them on an unfair playing field.

"The internet, the speed of it, our entire business revolves around that," David Callicott, who sells paraffin-free candles on his website, GoodLight, said last month.

E-commerce startups, for their part, have feared they could end up on the losing end of paid prioritisation, where their websites and services load slower than those run by internet behemoths. Remote workers of all kinds, including freelancers and franchisees working in the gig economy, could similarly face higher costs to do their jobs from home.

Read more here

 

 

 

 

https://www.todayonline.com/world/why-net-neutrality-was-repealed-and-how-it-affects-you

 

 

Why net neutrality was repealed and how it affects you

By KEITH COLLINS

Protest signs outside the Federal Communications Commission headquarters in Washington. In a 3-to-2 vote, the agency scrapped Obama-era rules regulating the businesses that connect consumers to the internet, granting broadband companies power to potentially reshape Americans’ online experiences. Photo: The New York Times

Published15 December, 2017

Updated 15 December, 2017

 

NEW YORK — The US Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday (Dec 14) to repeal Obama-era net neutrality rules, which required internet service providers to offer equal access to all web content without charging consumers for higher-quality delivery or giving preferential treatment to certain websites.

The vote is a big win for Ajit Pai, the agency's chairman, who has long opposed the regulations, saying they impeded innovation. He once said they were based on "hypothetical harms and hysterical prophecies of doom."

THESE ARE THE RULES THAT WERE REPEALED

The original rules went into effect in 2015 and laid out a regulatory plan that addressed a rapidly changing internet. Under those regulations, broadband service was considered a utility under Title II of the Communications Act, giving the FCC broad power over internet providers. The rules prohibited the following practices:

Blocking: Internet service providers could not discriminate against any lawful content by blocking websites or apps.

Throttling: Service providers could not slow the transmission of data based on the nature of the content, as long as it is legal.

Paid prioritisation: Service providers could not create an internet fast lane for companies and consumers who pay premiums, and a slow lane for those who don't.

HOW IT COULD AFFECT YOU

Many consumer advocates have argued that if the rules get scrapped, broadband providers will begin selling the internet in bundles, not unlike how cable television is sold today. Want to access Facebook and Twitter? Under a bundling system, getting on those sites could require paying for a premium social media package.

In some countries, internet bundling is already happening. In October, Rep Ro Khanna, D0-Calif, posted a screenshot on Twitter from a Portuguese mobile carrier that showed subscription plans with names like Social, Messaging and Video. He wrote that providers were "starting to split the net."

Another major concern is that consumers could suffer from pay-to-play deals. Without rules prohibiting paid prioritisation, a fast lane could be occupied by big internet and media companies, as well as affluent households, while everyone else would be left on the slow lane.

Some small-business owners have also been concerned these issues will affect them, worrying that industry giants could pay to get an edge, and leave them on an unfair playing field.

"The internet, the speed of it, our entire business revolves around that," David Callicott, who sells paraffin-free candles on his website, GoodLight, said last month.

E-commerce startups, for their part, have feared they could end up on the losing end of paid prioritisation, where their websites and services load slower than those run by internet behemoths. Remote workers of all kinds, including freelancers and franchisees working in the gig economy, could similarly face higher costs to do their jobs from home.

THE ARGUMENT AGAINST REGULATION

"It's basic economics," Mr Pai said in a speech at the Newseum in April. "The more heavily you regulate something, the less of it you're likely to get."

The FCC chairman has long argued against the rules, pointing out that before they were put into effect in 2015, service providers had not engaged in any of the practices the rules prohibit.

"Did these fast lanes and slow lanes exist? No," he said in the speech. "It's almost as if the special interests pushing Title II weren't trying to solve a real problem but instead looking for an excuse to achieve their long-standing goal of forcing the internet under the federal government's control."

Several internet providers have made public pledges in recent months that they will not block or throttle sites once the rules were repealed. The companies argue that Title II gives the FCC too much control over their business, and that the regulations make it hard to expand their networks.

THE INTERNET WAS ALREADY CHANGED

Perhaps the repeal won't change the direction of the internet. In November, Farhad Manjoo argued that the internet has already been dying a slow death, and that the repeal of net neutrality rules only hastens its demise.

He wrote that the biggest US internet companies — Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google and Microsoft — "control much of the online infrastructure, from app stores to operating systems to cloud storage to nearly all of the online ad business."

Meanwhile, most American homes and smartphones connect to the internet through a "handful of broadband companies — AT&T, Charter, Comcast and Verizon, many of which are also aiming to become content companies, because why not." THE NEW YORK TIMES