Verizon vs. FCC: Net Neutrality Analysis Assignemnt

Name:
Law
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Memo
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Re: Net Neutrality Analysis
Net neutrality can be defined as a principle for an open internet. It is a guiding principle of the internet that allows free communication of the users. With net neutrality, the internet can protect and enable freedom of speech by the consumers. The service providers are required to provide open networks. They are required not to discriminate or block access to content or applications that are within the networks (Gattuso, 2014). ISP is forbidden from controlling the content the user is viewing or uploading on the internet. Net neutrality comes into place to protect companies that deal with phones and cable from diverting the internet into slow and fast lanes.
The absence of net neutrality can also destroy open Internet at that ISP will get a chance to impose an extra fee on companies that provide content and are in a position to pay for preferential treatment. The effect is that it could lead to services relegated being slower.
Net neutrality is crucial both to the business and community. In businesses, net neutrality fosters innovation, the growth of jobs as well as competition. Entrepreneurs, small firms, and startups rely on the internet mostly on the advertisement of their business' services and products. They also require the internet for launching their businesses and the distribution of their products to the customers. This does not leave behind the creation and finding of a market. For all these activities to fall into place, net neutrality must come into play. Net neutrality has reduced barriers of entries for these parties named above. This is the main reason as to why they are seen doing well on the internet.
It is through the open internet that communities of color can easily organize for social and racial justice as well as telling their stories. It is through net neutrality that the voices that are marginalized can be heard. Without net neutrality, people of color would not have a crucial platform. This is because; ISP could insert barriers to free speech of dissident voices. In addition to that, their businesses would not thrive as they do to compete effectively in the global market.
Throughout the history of the internet, there are abuses that came to light. The control of power and internet was consolidated into the hands of few companies that provided the services. The result of this was the freedom these service providers attained which made them prioritize and degrade the content that passed through the channels they were controlling. Due to this FCC was called upon by the Americans, which later responded by enacting the net neutrality rules. The first order was passed in 2010, and it included six principles of net neutrality.
The six net neutrality principles include; level playing ground, network management, and mobile, no blocking, transparency, and vigilance. Service providers are required to be transparent such that consumers and innovators are aware of the principals governing their access to the internet. The management of the network by the consumers and innovators should as well be transparent to them. All users are placed on a level playing field by net neutrality. The rules require that no content will be denied to certain users unreasonably. The law gives all the companies in this field to access all the services equally. In case there is paying for priority, it should be enjoyed equally by all the companies.
All users are entitled to a right to receive and sent lawful traffic without being blocked. At no cost will the service providers block users from accessing content from the network or ban them from connecting devices that are harmless. The users can as well rightfully access applications and services that the internet offers. Service providers are out ruled from denying them this right by either blocking them or throttling. The mobile service providers are required by the regulations to be transparent in their management. They are required not to hinder access to websites and applications that are competitive. The rules require service providers to manage the network in a manner that is reasonable. The service providers can, however, provide service tiers to subscribers and charge them regarding the amount of bandwidth that they have consumed. Lastly, in the 2010 order by FCC, there was a committee that was appointed to invigilate the effects and openness of the internet. The committee is referred to as Open Internet Advisory Committee.
The rules of an open internet of 2015 according to FCC, aim at protecting free innovation and expression on the internet. The result of this is to ensure that investment is promoted in the broadband networks of the nation. These rules came into effect the same year, and they worked to ensure the provision of the open, fair and free Internet to all consumers and businesses. They apply to both mobile and fixed broadband services. The 2015 rules are as discussed below.
By stating, they are three in number, and they include; no blocking, no throttling, and no paid prioritization. In the no blocking rule, service providers are restricted from denying users access to apps, content, harmless devices or services. They are as well restricted from the degradation or impairing service traffic in the no throttling rule. Throttling can be by content, services, harmless devices or applications. In the no paid prioritization rule, service providers are required to treat all lawful Internet traff...