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Is Verizon a Network Hog?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the their-pipes-their-rules dept.

pillageplunder wrote to mention a piece in BusinessWeek asking whether or not Verizon has the right to set aside bandwidth for its own projects. They're planning a television service, and have allocated a swath of their bandwidth (which could otherwise be used for net and phone traffic) to back this service. From the article: "Leading Net companies say that Verizon's actions could keep some rivals off the road. As consumers try to search Google, buy books on Amazon.com, or watch videos on Yahoo!, they'll all be trying to squeeze into the leftover lanes on Verizon's network. On Feb. 7 the Net companies plan to take their complaints about Verizon's plans to the Senate during a hearing on telecom reform."

6 of 310 comments (clear)

  1. Yes, they do by garrett714 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...asking whether or not Verizon has the right to set aside bandwidth for its own projects.

    Verizon has the right to do whatever it wants with the bandwidth it pays for. If you don't like it, switch to another service. I'm sure they have a clause somewhere deep in their TOS that allows them to change the bandwidth available to their customers, otherwise they wouldn't be doing this. Anyone with conflicting info care to respond?

  2. This seems a little off. by IAAP · · Score: 5, Insightful
    FTFA: Verizon argues that it needs to take such measures to earn a return on its network investments.

    yahoo Finance: Notice the 5.92% return on assets and 22.19% return on equity.

    I don't about you, but I think they're getting a real nice return. Unless, their management is comparing their returns to cocaine cartels, then they're doing pretty shitty.

  3. Competition by Perseid · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't see this as THAT big of a deal. If Verizon is foolish enough to throttle their customers' bandwidth down noticeably, there are many other offerings in the ISP industry, and people will not put up with slow Internet, pretty video feeds or not.

    So let them try.

  4. Re:They Paid For It by IAmTheDave · · Score: 5, Insightful
    They Paid For It... Why shouldn't they be able to do what they want with it?

    Because I paid for it and that's not what I want them to do with it.

    --
    Excuse my speling.
    Making The Bar Project
  5. Re:They Paid For It by zerocool^ · · Score: 5, Insightful


    Common Carrier Status

    --
    sig?
  6. Re:If it's their network... by Old+Grey+Beard · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As was pointed out earlier, they are a "common carrier" which, according to this definition must "serve indifferently all potential users". Obviously this doesn't work if you are serving yourself preferentially.

    --
    "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it."
    - H. L. Mencken