Information super-highway is gridlocked

On Oct. 22, the Federal Communication Commission revealed its plans to Congress for the Internet Freedom Act of 2009. This piece of legislation adds several new principles that expand internet freedoms. Many are calling it "net neutrality." According to the plan, the FCC states: "A provider of broadband Internet access service must treat lawful content, applications, and services in a nondiscriminatory manner. A provider of broadband Internet access service must disclose such information concerning network management and other practices as is reasonably required for users and content, application, and service providers to enjoy the protections specified in this rulemaking." What this means is Internet service providers would have to be up-front about the way they handle their Internet operations. This would include advertising the speeds used (not just estimates.) Also, they would not throttle those that stream online content, like from Netflix or Hulu. Throttling is a big issue that continues to hinder the efficiency of our current Internet model. The major ISP's like Time Warner, Comcast and AT&T are preventing the U.S. from reaching ideal Internet speeds. In fact, when it comes to internet, we are ranked 28th in download speed. If you live in a small rural area, your options of a broadband provider are extremely limited. A lot of the problems that stem from large companies controlling a region of the area. There is no room for small companies to try and offer a better product. The base problem is the lack of competition when it comes to owning land lines. Land lines are the cables that these companies own and operate. They have no incentive to lay down faster cables for their customers. It's either the mega corporations like Time Warner, or going to your grandmother's house and using her 56k high-speed computer. It does not seem right for the major ISP's to charge as much as they do, and perform as little a service they can. Limited options and unsatisfied customer service is why the FCC finally has decided to take action. This lack of competition is what's hurting any chance for ISP's to actually live up to their such as Time Warner and Comcast to offer a better product. Their stranglehold they have on the U.S.'s internet bandwidth needs to be loosened in order to have fair and affordable Internet service to everyone. It's truly not a free market anymore with the amount of ISP monopolies populating the country. There has to be a sense of regulation. But then there is always the classic follow-up, when it comes to government control: "Who regulates the regulators." There is always the danger of any power granted to one person. The danger of future abuse and corruption always lingers. That danger is by no means limited to the FCC or any government organization. It exists in every corporation, big and small, and every lobbyist group known to man. Everyone is out for themselves trying to be as successful and powerful as they can be. That's completely normal, but at what costs to the consumers trying to access a basic service like going online? It has gotten out of hand with being overcharged by these ISP's. Especially in today's economic climate, there needs to be some form of control of pricing model in order to allow start-up Internet providers to offer completive deals. Since the Internet has become a crucial hub of information and communication in our lives the past 10 years or so, the FCC and ISP's should find common ground and figure out what is best for us, the consumer.