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UK ISPs EE, Virgin and Vodafone Back Net Neutrality
Amanda Parker (3946253) writes EE, Virgin Media and Vodafone have thrown their support behind net neutrality by signing up to the Open Internet Code. Launched in 2012 by the Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG), the UK code commits the three internet service providers (ISPs) to provide full internet access with no data blocked "on the basis of commercial rivalry." Content providers can now lodge a complaint with the BSG if they feel their services are being discriminated against. This latest development means that all major ISPs providing fixed and mobile networks are signed up to the code. BSG CEO Matthew Evans said: "Unlike some countries, where net neutrality has become a controversial topic for discussion, the UK benefits from a fiercely competitive market and high levels of transparency — which together offer the best assurance of an open internet."
In the UK case these ISPs mostly also run other media services: Virgin Media is a big media conglomerate that owns a bunch of TV channels, and Vodafone and EE both sell streaming-television services. A blocking/QoS war could be damaging to all of them, if they start preferring their own services and degrading other companies' services, so it might make business sense to just mutually agree not to do that.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
As the FA and Summery are both completely lacking in details, here is the full Open Internet Code of Practice these guys signed up to:
http://www.broadbanduk.org/wp-...
The code already has the following ISPs as signatories:
BE, BT, BSkyB, KCOM, giffgaff, O2, Plusnet, TalkTalk, Tesco Mobile, Three
Then you have completely reasonable and decent people like Claire Perry trying to push nanny filters because she is too scared to tell her kids about the birds and the bees.
Don't worry, now she's moved on from promoting on-line censorship to being a junior transport minister who tells rail commuters they're paying fair fares for comfortable commutes (while herself mostly driving into London to work and getting there by train just twice in the previous year).
I will never understand how someone so apparently disconnected from the reality that normal people face can actually manage to get elected, but whatever the reason, it seems a sad indictment of our "representative" democracy.
If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
Well, I didn't knee-jerk that quickly but I did stop and ponder: Why?
I don't know if it's sad or just odd that whenever some corporation does something that benefits a customer I stop and start to wonder and ponder what they are plotting...
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
I will never understand how someone so apparently disconnected from the reality that normal people face can actually manage to get elected, but whatever the reason, it seems a sad indictment of our "representative" democracy.
The problem is that we don't vote nationally for cabinet posts. Someone may be a perfectly competent local MP, in touch with local issues and understanding their constituents' interests, but have absolutely no idea about whatever department they're put in charge of.
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