No-IP has always been vocal about its support for an open and free Internet. Over the last year, a proposed end to Net Neutrality was discussed by the FCC. Why? Because Internet Service Providers were arguing that in order for them to grow and expand access to the Internet, they should be able to charge more to certain content providers. Particularly ones that are a heavy burden on their networks, i.e. Netflix, Hulu, etc. Essentially they were proposing a fast lane and slow lane on the Internet. If a site wanted their content to get to its users, it would be expected to pay more money to get into the fast lane, or risk being filtered into the slow lane.
However, this type of censorship by ISPs wouldn’t help them expand access to the Internet, it would greatly reduce it. In reality, the ISP’s would just gain the power to favor certain content and limit other content. That means that even though they would be building bigger and better infrastructure for the Internet, only some sites will benefit from it. An Internet that treats data equally is what we need and today we got that!
“The action that we take today is an irrefutable reflection of the principle that no one — whether government or corporate — should control free open access to the Internet,” FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said.
Today the FCC voted 3-2 to pass a Net Neutrality rule protecting the Internet. Now, ISP’s will be watched more closely. This rule will prevent these companies from treating certain content providers more preferentially than others. Meaning that Hulu can’t pay their ISP more money to gain better access to their customers.
The vote also reclassified broadband under Title II of the Communications Act. Under Title II, broadband will be regulated similarly to utilities like water and power. This is important because now it recognizes broadband as a telecommunications service, which gives the FCC the right to prevent these companies from creating the previously mention Internet slow lanes.
“The Internet is simply too important to allow broadband providers to be the ones making the rules,” Wheeler said.
At No-IP, we rely on the Internet to do our job. Without an open Internet we would not exist. Today we celebrate this victory and the FCC’s decision to keep the Internet free and open.
