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Getting Out of the Fast Lane
Every internet user has reached a point in their internet usage when a web page or
program will not load, and the loading ring appears. Usually, one would assume that the Wi-Fi is
slow or the website is down. More than often though, the internet service providers are throttling
company’s network performance and making the companies pay extra money to open up faster
network lanes. This problem has sparked the net neutrality debate, which the telecommunications
field needs to address more strongly. With the help of websites that feel they are being bullied by
these service providers, we can unite as a collected group to dedicate turning services off for a
full 24 hours. This will urge people to contact congress to talk about the issue of net neutrality
rules.
The issue of net neutrality springs from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
passage of Title II of the Communications Act, which was part of the Telecommunications Act
of 1996. The internet service providers (ISP) found a loophole by starting to charge companies to
stop overcrowding and get the data to users quicker; this is known as a “fast lane”. According to
the FCC Open internet rules were put into effect on June 12th 2015, and include “No Paid
Prioritization: broadband providers may not favor some lawful Internet traffic over other lawful
traffic in exchange for consideration of any kind—in other words, no ‘fast lanes.’ This rule also
bans ISPs from prioritizing content and services of their affiliates” (FCC.gov). This ability to
implement a fast lane is affecting companies that are trying to get content to users, but are being
interrupted because the normal lanes that the ISPs give to the companies are becoming
overcrowded. The issue of net neutrality is a global problem that needs to be addressed, but for
most countries, their telecommunication infrastructure needs to be fixed for them to focus on net
neutrality. According to Jan Kramer and her colleagues, The U.S. has the most prevalent cases of
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net neutrality and “higher numbers of [Deep packet Inspection] in the US market” (pg. 798).
This issue developed from a moneymaking viewpoint by the ISP’s which led lawmakers to see
that this was unlawful and steps were going to be put into place.
The general internet goer will most likely expect speeds on the internet to be to their
benefit and not have any issues. Research and marketers from Presswire have offered a report on
US Internet Usage of 2010 and it concludes that “221 million people will be online, about 71%
of the population… reaching 250 million in 2014, more than 77% of the population” (pg. 1).
According to Ben Munson the, “projected 11 billion mobile connected devices online by 2020”
(pg. 1), will only drive up the number of people online. With the help of companies that are
being bullied by internet service providers, a coalition can be formed, where a day can be
decided and dedicated to slowing down there servers for customers. This means that when the
web page loads, a message about standing up for a free internet displays. Among the websites
that are willing to take action, there would need to be an agreement on a time of year and a
specific day, such as cyber Monday. No matter what device you own, whether it is a cell phone,
a laptop, or a tablet, the message will display on all devices for users to see that the internet
should stay free and open.
Usually people go onto the internet to do something they enjoy and want to spend time
doing. With this message being displayed on the websites that want to participate, the people that
visit the websites will tend to be agitated because of the content not appearing for consumers. A
study that was done by Lynn Goetzinger, that among the “755,713 complaints filed in the United
States…Nearly 70% of complaints filed in the United States were settled” (pg. 69). This data
shows that if the websites that display an error message with a redirect email, people will
eventually complain and cases will eventually be settled leading internet legislation to be passed.
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Any call to action regarding internet users, will eventually end up in a collective fight to
fix the process. With a growing technology sector, people rely on the internet for basic uses like
social interactions, media consumption, and entertainment. People are reliant to keep the internet
free and open and this proposed call to action to have companies display pages on their website
urging people to talk to government officials about closing fast lanes. Net neutrality should be a
concrete principle that internet service providers must treat all internet traffic equally. With the
help of companies that want to stop ISP’s from bullying other companies, stand up and display a
message of assistance to the people of the internet to take down fast lanes.
Works Cited
"Federal Communications Commission." Open-Internet. N.P., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2016.
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Fitzgerald, Michael. "Why In-depth Coverage of Net Neutrality Is Crucial." Review. Neiman
Reports 69.1 (2015): 42-45. Print.
Gillmor, Dan. "Meanwhile, in the Land of the Free." Editorial. Columbia Journalism
Review June 2012: 28-30. Web. 15 Feb. 2016.
Goetzinger, Lynn M. "Consumer Complaint Behavior: Studies on Behavioral Dimensions and
the Impact of the Internet." Order No. 3287242 Purdue University, 2007. Ann
Arbor: ProQuest. Web. 4 Apr. 2016.
Jan Krämer, Lukas Wiewiorra, Christof Weinhardt, “Net neutrality: A progress report”,
Telecommunications Policy, Volume 37, Issue 9, October 2013, Pages 794-813, ISSN
0308-5961, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2012.08.005.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308596112001450) Web. 4 Apr. 2016
Mehta, Aalok. "Economics, Ethics, and Public Policy: Values in the U.S. Net Neutrality
Debate." International Journal of Communication 9.9 (2015): 3460-468. Sept. 2015.
Web. 29 Feb. 2016.
Munson, B. (2015). How networks in 2020 will meet the needs of IoT. Wireless Week, Retrieved
from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1661336908?accountid=14541 Web 05 Apr.
2016
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“Research and markets: US internet users, 2010 - in 2010, 221 million people in the US will be
online, about 71% of the total population.” (2010, May 10). M2 Presswire Retrieved
http://search.proquest.com/docview/252121531?accountid=14541 Web. 03 Apr. 2016
Tripp, Thomas M., and Yany Grégoire. "When Unhappy Customers Strike Back on the
Internet." MIT Sloan Management Review 52.3 (2011): 37-44. ProQuest. Web. 30 Mar.
2016.
Williamson, Brian. "A Tipping Point for Regulation." Intermedia 43.3 (2015): 12-15. Web. 30
Jan. 2016
