As a computer science major in college, and an avid technology enthusiast – aka nerd or geek – I have been aware of the recent vote by the Republican-led FCC to repeal net neutrality long before it was held.

I wasn’t surprised by the outcome either, although along with what I have read to be the majority of Americans, I was pro net neutrality.

All you have to do, I have heard, is follow the money and you’ll find your answers to many questions when it comes to which way the wind blows.

When the internet was a mere fledgling service, used mainly by educational institutions, scientists and governments, the idea of a free sharing of information to everyone was the driving force behind what it has become today. A source of data for all persons disregarding their current economic status when it comes to the size of their bank accounts.

Along the way, many companies and services have made a lot of money using the internet to provide goods such as online shopping at Amazon, information and entertainment like Netflix. There’s not a thing wrong with that. You have the option to pay for these services, but you’re not depending on one to get around the “online mall” so to speak, filled with everything from movie reviews to the treasury department’s policies and procedures.

The thing was we all had the same speed limit when it came to Aunt Helen’s cookie recipe transmitting online to latest episode of Ray Donovan.

Without net neutrality, the speed limit can be adjusted faster than a kangaroo on a hot-tin roof.
The tel-coms say this move will be good for the internet – if you believe that I have a dam I want to sell you across Center Hill Lake.

I fall in the category they call cable-cutters these days or someone who doesn’t have cable TV but uses streaming channels like Roku, Netflix, CBS All Access and Spectrum even has a streaming service that includes local channels for a reasonable price. My payment is more reasonable than if I had the same service all on my cable box and I get 100 mbs for net speed which usually clocks at 110 at home.

With net neutrality I can be assured all my services can provide me with a good service at a constant speed and not have a governor slapped on if they’re profile isn’t big enough to warrant the best connection. Take an upstart service like Walter Presents which shows a lot of foreign films with subtitles I find are really interesting. I am sure they don’t have the fan base something like Netflix does.

Remember when cell phones first came out and they charged us by the text message? Without net neutrality, companies can start to tier their pricing accordingly and we’ll be back to those bills you need a lawyer to itemize, not to mention higher costs overall when they tack on the fees.
Like I said, follow the money and you can be a prognosticator of the first degree.

Contact Steve Warner at news@smithvillereview.com