Network Neutrality Act of 2006

If you don't know what Network Neutrality is, read this or watch the above video.

A big thanks to Paul at one digital life for pointing this video out. It is a great public service announcement explaining exactly what Net Neutrality means to you and me.

Essentially, the Telcos (Tele-communication companies: e.g. Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, etc. - those who provide internet) want to start monitoring internet traffic and charging more for certain types of traffic. For instance, if you have Vonage VoIP running over your Comcast broadband connection, Comcast wants the right to sniff out Vonage traffic so that they can do one of two things: slow it down, or charge extra for it. Why would they want to do this? .... Well Comcast offers their own VoIP service, which naturally would run along unhampered and not be subject to a surcharge.

We don't want that. That sounds slightly very monopolistic to me.

There is also talk of the Tiered Internet. Read about that here. Good Luck Us.

Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) threw down the gauntlet just moments ago, introducing the Network Neutrality Act of 2006".."This legislation is designed to save the Internet and thwart those who seek to fundamentally and detrimentally alter the Internet as we know it."

digg story

[UPDATE: added video that Paul provided in his comment]

Topics: DMCA, EFF, IPac, Law, Telcos, Comcast, Verizon, Network Neutrality, Tiered Internet