Why is it important for Red Bank to gain assurances from Verizon that they won’t implement a tiered internet access strategy?
There are two main reasons why it is important for our town council to get Verizon to guarantee to respect the tenets of Network Neutrality
1. Red Bank residents want to be able to use the internet without their internet service provider restricting which web services the use or charging them extra to go “outside” the provider’s network. Internet Access Tiering plans will allow the internet provider to control access to the internet through their network. Fiber optic internet service is great but what if the provider charged you extra for using Apple’s iTunes? Or prevented you from using Google video?
2. Red Bank has many small internet related businesses. What if one of these businesses hit it big? In a world with Tiered Internet Service, customers for that company may be restricted from visiting their web site because the small company is unable to afford to pay the big telecoms the fees they will charge to be on their preferred network. That Red Bank company’s growth would be restricted.
Internet Access Tiering is important on a national level but also on some very real local levels. The rise of the internet has seen the rise of some of America’s new breed of innovative and fast moving companies. These companies were able to grow because the internet is Neutral. Everyone plays on a level playing field.
Verizon will be using Internet Protocol and Internet Technologies to deliver cable service to Red Bank residents. It is absolutely appropriate that the topic of Network Neutrality be on the table during negotiations.
It is important to Red Bank consumers and Red Bank companies.
Verizon should be pressed to gurantee Network Neutrality.
