What is net neutrality?
The principal of net neutrality simply means that data moving across a network is treated the same no matter where it's coming from or where it's going. This has nothing to do with the speed the consumer is paying for or what the server can provide, instead it's how that data is treated between those two points. If you are paying for slow connection net neutrality isn't going to magically make your connection faster, if you have a crap server it isn't magically going to make your server faster. It only means that you will get equal access to whatever sites or services you are using. This is how the internet has operated since it began.
If we are to assume the consumer is paying for 5Mbps connection:
- Connects to any site or service capable of 5Mbps and gets 5Mbps, net neutrality achieved.
- Connects to a site capable of 5Mbps and gets 5Mbps, connects to another capable of 1Mbps and gets 1Mbps, net neutrality achieved.
- Connects to any site or service capable of 10Mbps and gets 5Mbps, net neutrality achieved.
- Connects to a site capable of 5Mbps and gets 5Mbps, connects to another capable of 5Mbps and gets 1Mbps, net neutrality NOT achieved.
Net neutrality is absolutely important if you want to maintain a nice level playing field amongst content providers however to achieve that the ISP needs to be allowed to offer tiered service on the consumer end. That tiered service has to provide equal access to any site or service you want to use. If you pay for a 1Mbps connection you'll get 1Mbps for any site or service. Pay for faster speeds and you'll get equally faster speeds assuming the server on the other end can support them.
Obama almost had it right BUT he is proposing that ISP's be regulated under Title II of the Telecommunications act that governs phone companies. That would trigger an avalanche of new regulations, taxes and fees. You know that USF fee on your phone bill that is used to pay for things like the "Obamaphones"? That will show up on your internet bill if Obama's proposal goes forward.
It's beyond me how neither side can get something so simple so wrong. Net neutrality is important but equally as important is not imposing a bunch of new regulations on the ISP's and robbing the public blind with yet another tax.