By Greg Hughes, CIO.com,
In recent months, exploding demand for Internet bandwidth has caused a rift between network providers and content providers.
Content providers argue that Net neutrality should be preserved and all Internet traffic should be treated equally. They say that allowing network providers to charge additional fees to content providers could create a multi-tiered Internet where traffic from content providers who pay a premium receives better treatment.
The people who are for Net neutrality believe that the network providers will, somehow, give priority to certain people who pay them more money, says Brian Sharwood, an analyst with telecom consultancy Seaboard Group in Toronto. Therefore, it creates an uneven Internet -- that is really the main concern.
Network providers contend that theyre having to foot the bill for the expensive network upgrades required to support increasingly bandwidth-hungry applications. And they would like to offset that expense by charging additional fees.
Why is it were always buying more bandwidth for them [content providers] to make more profit? says Tom Copeland, chair of the Canadian Association of Internet Providers.
If things like video-on-demand and VOIP continue to expand the need for bandwidth, I can see in the not-too-distant future many ISPs will be looking at costs in the neighborhood of 30 to 50 percent increases year over year, he adds.
But Net neutrality laws arent likely to be coming anytime soon. Copeland doesnt see any real movement to act on the federal governments part. I cant see lobbying for new laws, he says. We cant even get the Minister of Industry to look at the anti-spam taskforce. I think Net neutrality isnt on anyones horizon right now.
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