Congress plans on converting the Information Superhighway into a "Toll Road"
Thread Starter
The Man... keeping you down.
Joined: August 15, 2004
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From: Stealin' ur internetz
Congress plans on converting the Information Superhighway into a "Toll Road"
Unless you're immerssed in the technology world, you might have missed this in the news. Due to a couple larger companies idea of cashing in on the internet, a bill is being created in congress to regulate and transform the internet into a fee-based system. For more information, read the articles attached below:
Before you blow it off, Snopes says it's true. (link) If you would like to know more about Network Neutrality then click here. (link)
I would urge you to take appropriate actions by either following the EBay link above or writing/calling your local congressman.
Originally Posted by EBay Email
Dear eBay Community Member,
As you know, I almost never reach out to you personally with a request to get involved in a debate in the U.S. Congress. However, today I feel I must.
Right now, the telephone and cable companies in control of Internet access are trying to use their enormous political muscle to dramatically change the Internet. It might be hard to believe, but lawmakers in Washington are seriously debating whether consumers should be free to use the Internet as they want in the future.
Join me by clicking here -- http://www.ebaymainstreet.com/netneutrality -- to send a message to your representatives in Congress.
The phone and cable companies now control more than 95% of all Internet access. These large corporations are spending millions of dollars to promote legislation that would allow them to divide the Internet into a two-tiered system.
The top tier would be a "Pay-to-Play" high-speed toll-road restricted to only the largest companies that can afford to pay high fees for preferential access to the Net.
The bottom tier -- the slow lane -- would be what is left for everyone else. If the fast lane is the information "super-highway," the slow lane will operate more like a dirt road.
Today's Internet is an incredible open marketplace for goods, services, information and ideas. We can't give that up. A two-lane system will restrict innovation because start-ups and small companies -- the companies that can't afford the high fees -- will be unable to succeed, and we'll lose out on the jobs, creativity and inspiration that come with them.
The power belongs with Internet users, not the big phone and cable companies. Let's use that power to send as many messages as possible to our elected officials in Washington. Please join me by clicking here right now to send a message to your representatives in Congress before it is too late. You can make the difference.
Thank you for reading this note. I hope you'll make your voice heard today.
Sincerely,
Meg Whitman
President and CEO
eBay Inc.
As you know, I almost never reach out to you personally with a request to get involved in a debate in the U.S. Congress. However, today I feel I must.
Right now, the telephone and cable companies in control of Internet access are trying to use their enormous political muscle to dramatically change the Internet. It might be hard to believe, but lawmakers in Washington are seriously debating whether consumers should be free to use the Internet as they want in the future.
Join me by clicking here -- http://www.ebaymainstreet.com/netneutrality -- to send a message to your representatives in Congress.
The phone and cable companies now control more than 95% of all Internet access. These large corporations are spending millions of dollars to promote legislation that would allow them to divide the Internet into a two-tiered system.
The top tier would be a "Pay-to-Play" high-speed toll-road restricted to only the largest companies that can afford to pay high fees for preferential access to the Net.
The bottom tier -- the slow lane -- would be what is left for everyone else. If the fast lane is the information "super-highway," the slow lane will operate more like a dirt road.
Today's Internet is an incredible open marketplace for goods, services, information and ideas. We can't give that up. A two-lane system will restrict innovation because start-ups and small companies -- the companies that can't afford the high fees -- will be unable to succeed, and we'll lose out on the jobs, creativity and inspiration that come with them.
The power belongs with Internet users, not the big phone and cable companies. Let's use that power to send as many messages as possible to our elected officials in Washington. Please join me by clicking here right now to send a message to your representatives in Congress before it is too late. You can make the difference.
Thank you for reading this note. I hope you'll make your voice heard today.
Sincerely,
Meg Whitman
President and CEO
eBay Inc.
I would urge you to take appropriate actions by either following the EBay link above or writing/calling your local congressman.
Signed and noted. Thanks Nathan
Mach 1 Member
Joined: October 28, 2004
Posts: 548
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I find it odd that Ebay, of all companies, is the one complaining here....the one company that would be and could afford to be on the "fast" lane.
They're just trying to minimize costs. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I'm all for less government control over us, because the government is just trying to find a sure fire way of collecting taxes for the internet.
This is an issue, but the bigger issue is that the US is in the beginning of a street fight over control of the internet with Europe. Europe is trying to use pressure from the UN to make the US give up control of the internet, something that was developed by the United States Military before public access was given.
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/348
They're just trying to minimize costs. Not that there is anything wrong with that. I'm all for less government control over us, because the government is just trying to find a sure fire way of collecting taxes for the internet.
This is an issue, but the bigger issue is that the US is in the beginning of a street fight over control of the internet with Europe. Europe is trying to use pressure from the UN to make the US give up control of the internet, something that was developed by the United States Military before public access was given.
http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/348
Thread Starter
The Man... keeping you down.
Joined: August 15, 2004
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From: Stealin' ur internetz
Originally Posted by PaulF
This is an issue, but the bigger issue is that the US is in the beginning of a street fight over control of the internet with Europe. Europe is trying to use pressure from the UN to make the US give up control of the internet, something that was developed by the United States Military before public access was given.
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Cobra Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
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Originally Posted by PaulF
I find it odd that Ebay, of all companies, is the one complaining here....the one company that would be and could afford to be on the "fast" lane.
Mach 1 Member
Joined: October 28, 2004
Posts: 548
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Originally Posted by THRUST_
I'm sure ebay would be able to afford to be on the "fast" lane, but the people buying and selling wouldn't be. This would mean less sales on ebay right?
The idea is that more people would use Ebay than other auction sites, because their customer base wouldn't have to wait.
Thread Starter
The Man... keeping you down.
Joined: August 15, 2004
Posts: 823
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From: Stealin' ur internetz
Originally Posted by PaulF
No, not at all. Ebay would have to pay whomever owns their lines that leads to their servers a hefty fee to have priority DNS resolution and "maximum" bandwidth, so that people that wanted to use their site would not see any type of slow down in getting to that site. The individual user wouldn't have to pay any "upfront" costs, you'd see the cost on the "back end"....in Ebay's case, higher listing fees and higher charges for using Paypal.
The idea is that more people would use Ebay than other auction sites, because their customer base wouldn't have to wait.
The idea is that more people would use Ebay than other auction sites, because their customer base wouldn't have to wait.
Fair? No its not. Legal? Well, how else are you going to ensure equality unless you leave Network Equality in place?
Shelby GT500 Member
Joined: March 10, 2004
Posts: 2,586
Likes: 2
From: Sherman, TX
US internet is already restricted by the telecomm companies...this would totally suck.
I think average speed in UK is like 40Mbs... South Korea is near 100Mbs if memory serves. We're ecstatic here with 3Mbs. <_<
I think average speed in UK is like 40Mbs... South Korea is near 100Mbs if memory serves. We're ecstatic here with 3Mbs. <_<
I'd be estactic with a good broadband connection in all rural areas.
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