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Portuguese ISP Shows What The Net Looks Like Without Net Neutrality (boingboing.net)
"In Portugal, with no net neutrality, internet providers are starting to split the net into packages," argues a California congressman -- retweeting a stunning graphic. An anonymous reader quotes BoingBoing's Cory Doctorow:
Since 2006, Net Neutrality activists have been warning that a non-Neutral internet will be an invitation to ISPs to create "plans" where you have to choose which established services you can access, shutting out new entrants to the market and allowing the companies with the deepest pockets to permanently dominate the internet... the Portuguese non-neutral ISP MEO has mistaken a warning for a suggestion, and offers a series of "plans" for its mobile data service where you pay €5 to access a handful of messaging services, €5 more to use social media; and €5 more for video-streaming services.
The congressman notes this arrangement offers "a huge advantage for entrenched companies, but it totally ices out startups trying to get in front of people, which stifles innovation."
The congressman notes this arrangement offers "a huge advantage for entrenched companies, but it totally ices out startups trying to get in front of people, which stifles innovation."
when 60-80% of your people are living paycheck to paycheck
A useless metric that has no relation to wealth of people. Many chose to put themselves through this situation. e.g. one of my colleagues, same pay grade as me. I end up with a net disposable income of several thousand euros each month which is rapidly paying off my mortgage at a faster than required rate. He's living "paycheck to paycheck" driving his Tesla, living in a big house and feeding his 5 kids.
That doesn't mean Portugal doesn't have a problem, but it would be better to point out their well below OECD average income, well below OECD average workforce participation between ages 18-65, and the reflection of their governments books (though ratings agencies have only 2 months ago raised them from "junk" status).
20 years ago no one had a cell phone (ok, very few people did)
today billions of people have them. I would argue that in some regards people are better off, even the poor
have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same