The Federal Communications Commission is accepting comments from citizens until July 8, 2009 as they craft a national broadband plan. Free Press’ Save the Internet campaign has made sending our comments a lot easier for you and I. They’ve created an online form that directly interfaces with the FCC’s formal comment submission system. They have pre-filled a sample message to send to the Commission for consideration, but I strongly recommend you write one of your own. Net Neutrality is a critically important issue for Stop the Cap!, but there is room to also share your thoughts on usage caps, metered pricing, competition and oversight — all of the issues we focus on regularly here.
They are already hearing from special interests and lobbyists attempting to influence the Commission into creating a broadband policy that caters to the whims of commercial interests. It is paramount that the Internet first and foremost serve the interests of the people.
For the first time in a long time, every citizen can have a voice heard by anyone who wants to listen. The impact and importance of that voice is judged on the merit of the message, not on how much money, power or influence that person has to present it. Net Neutrality rules enforced as part of a national broadband policy protects your voice, your ideas, and your participation in our democracy. Some commercial interests seek a net where their voices can travel faster, their partners get preferential treatment, and everyone else risks being throttled, capped, metered, or impeded.
![gordon-snyder Gordon F. Snyder, Director of the National Center for Information and Communications Technologies](https://stopthecap.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/gordon-snyder.jpg)
Gordon F. Snyder, Director of the National Center for Information and Communications Technologies
Without Net Neutrality protections, the Internet may find itself resembling broadcasting in this country, where a few powerful interests control the medium, the message, and the content. No company should be making these choices for you, either through speed throttling or imposing limits or meters on those products and services that aren’t owned, controlled, or partnered with that provider. Your ISP should not have the right to impose a broadband strategy that is designed to protect the business model of another product or service they happen to offer, such is the case with online video.
Tell the FCC you don’t want to settle for a national broadband policy that doesn’t make America #1. That means:
- The fastest possible speeds, not rationed “fast enough for most people to check e-mail and web pages broadband.”
- An end to policies that allow providers to artificially limit consumption through throttles, usage caps, and forced metered pricing at enormous markups.
- Protections against manipulating broadband policies to protect providers’ other business interests, such as streaming online video competing with traditional cable television business models.
- Policies that encourage competition among providers, even if it means establishing “common carrier” status to permit competitor access to wired infrastructure under fair terms.
- A policy that recognizes the rapid development of broadband technology and expects providers to grow with the times to accommodate new platforms, technologies, and applications.
- A policy that embraces municipal, public, and/or non-profit organizations that wish to establish advanced networks as they see fit, without having to face lawsuits and delay tactics from commercial interests.
- Recognition that there cannot be two broadband platforms in this country – one slow lane for rural and under-competitive markets and one fast lane for urban areas. Equal access. Equal speeds. Fair pricing.
Gordon F. Snyder, Director of the National Center for Information and Communications Technologies, provides additional insight in his blog, and should be considered when writing your suggestions to the FCC: