What is net neutrality? Net neutrality keeps internet service providers (or ISPs) from controlling the information that you as the consumer are able to access online. This principle forces companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast to treat all internet content as equal.
Net neutrality means the internet has one lane. Though customers are able to purchase preferential treatment by paying for faster internet, companies are not able to pay their way to less load times for their visitors.
This creates an equal opportunity for business and free rein for customers. Well, it’s an even playing field for everyone except ISPs. Internet providers felt that this principle of net neutrality was holding back their potential revenue. They felt that they should have the right to pick and choose what their customers can see on the internet—essentially like a TV cable plan. In what ways does this bring in new revenue for ISPs?
Without net neutrality, ISPs have the opportunity to create a fast lane. Though it may sound nice in theory, the trouble will be getting into that lane. For companies like Netflix, Hulu, or Facebook, forming a partnership with internet providers will be far from an issue. This becomes a problem for small businesses and startups trying to promote themselves on the internet.
Facebook, for example, is well aware of the enormous user-base they hold, and that these users expect easy access to Facebook services. But for a small business, paying the “fee” that could possibly ensue from this fast lane may be far out of their budget. Forcing them to deal with longer load times, pushing away potential customers.
Some suggest that this new stream of revenue for ISPs could actually benefit the consumer. How so? The thought is that with such an increase in revenue from content promoters, they would thereby be able to lower the prices of our current plans. While this is a possibility, a lack of net neutrality really just means that ISPs will be able to dictate what we can see. How exactly they’ll use this freedom, we are yet to know.
The removal of net neutrality is not something we haven’t seen before. The same situation exists in Portugal, Canada, Chile, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, China, France, Israel, Italy, South Korea, Russia, Slovenia, and the Netherlands.
Chances are customers will not experience any major changes in the next year. Internet providers are conscious of the public scrutiny they’re currently under. Most likely, they’ll avoid angering their customers by immediately raising the prices. Though the decision has been made, their ultimate fate could still be considered undecided. Meaning they’ll probably be keeping a low profile for the months to come, by only issuing subtle changes to their customers. But the pros and cons of this decision will continue to be discussed over the coming months. In the meantime, how can you make the most of technology in your business?
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