Australian ISPs Claim Net Neutrality Is an 'American Problem'

RATLSNAKE writes "The heads of some of the most popular Australian ISPs were all interviewed over at ZDNet about Net Neutrality. For once, they all seem to agree, and they say it's a problem with the US business model, or the lack thereof. They discuss why they don't think it's an issue in Australia. Simon Hackett, the managing director of Adelaide-based ISP Internode, had this to say: 'The [Net neutrality] problem isn't about running out of capacity. It's a business model that's about to explode due to stress. ... The idea that the entire population can subsidize a minority with an extremely high download quantity actually isn't necessarily the only way to live.' Of course, this also explains why we Australians do not have truly unlimited plans."

Comments

What?

[binarylarry]

Every Australian I've ever talked to seemed to completely hate their ISP.

From what I remember, isn't the Internet in Australia totally socialized?

Of course the government ISP wouldn't have a problem, they get to define "problem."

Re:What?

[binarylarry]

Ok, so you have actually had to pursue legal action against one of your ISPs.

And now you tell me how much you love the situation down under.

Well, I guess that proves you're Australian.

Australians++

Re:Well..

[fugue]

I rather like the current model, but for another reason: Americans are already so isolated, so unconscious of the existence of other countries or other parts of the world, that the current model in a sense subsidises not just browsing, but education. Getting more people on the 'net is important, but a tiered structure opens the door to things like "US-only" plans, which is exactly what the head-up-their-ass America-is-the-world Republican redneck hicks would buy. That makes the Internet far less valuable to us as a society.

Think global.