Net Neutrality

Introduction

            Net Neutrality is the principle that requires the Internet users to have access to any web content, post customized content, and use the applications of their preference without restrictions and limitations imposed by the Internet Service Providers (Meinrath & Pickard, 2008). There are concerns that the ISPs could be blocking the content that advertise their competitors. It is a major concern since other websites may have similar restrictions due to filtering practices by some ISPs. Thus, the goal of Net neutrality is to ensure that users have the same experience on the Internet despite the website they attend (Faulhaber, 2010). Net Neutrality is an important consideration. The effects of a world without Net Neutrality are devastating. The major consequences are stifled innovation, limited competition, and restricted access to information. The interests of few corporations would lead to the ignorance of consumer preferences and the free market. The consumers remain the ultimate control on the Internet. They decide between the content, applications, and the services available from the network.  The paper provides a reflection on my opinions on the concepts and experiences with content-based broadband throttling and piracy protection.    

Content-based broadband throttling and Piracy Protection

            Broad band throttling is an emergent topic in the prepaid wireless market. Many Internet users, dealers, and customers lack the full details about the issue since they might have practiced it unknowingly. Some use deceptive communication and marketing practices that revolve around throttling. In the conventional use, a throttle is a type of valve that controls the flow of liquid or speed of an engine. Broadband throttling is the practice of the wireless providers to give a particular amount of data for a specified period and at a restricted speed.

            Users can no longer access the content they require by use if broadband networks due to throttling. They experience delays in the loading of pages that would be of benefit to them. According to the principles of Net Neutrality, Internet users should have access to the web content of their choice. However, with the reduced speeds they experience challenges making it difficult to access the content of their choice. I think that throttling hinders the free market rules implementation since, with the reduced speeds; users have limitations to the type of content they can access. According to Rapid Share (2012), the reduction of speeds helps to combat piracy. The association of Piracy protection to broad band throttling is a good idea to the content developers. They are sure that nobody will download their content for free due to the reduced speeds that take long hence discouraging. However, to the user, it is an infringement of their rights since they subscribe to the data plans for specific uses.  

            The user who consumes all the data allowance within the specified time enjoys lesser speeds that are throttling. For instance, the 4G plans become 3 G or lower, and 3G goes down To 1x speeds. The case initially applied for the users who abused their plans by using 10 or more times of the allocated usage on the unlimited plans. It becomes a concern for the average user on a Smartphone or a tablet that cannot consume all the allocated data. The carriers used to slow down the broadband speed for the users on the unlimited plan that used significant amounts of data. To some extent, broadband throttling is good for the average users since it allows them have reasonably priced plans and allow carriers to remain profitable. However, it is also an issue to the average users since the limits are not longer than 10 or 20 times what most people use. The limits are more in the range for the monthly average basis. However, the modern smartphones and tablets entice the users to consume more and more data though the speeds are on the reducing trend (Prystay, 2002).

Broadband speeds and piracy protection

            The reduction of broadband speeds is thought of a strategy for piracy protection. According to a survey by Money Supermarket, the web users believe that the use of high-speed broadband networks may result to piracy. Users can easily make illegal file sharing easy and common. Many users have had experiences in which they illegally downloaded music, games, movies, and television programs when using the high-speed broadband network. Music and the film industry face the major blow in piracy.

Experiences with reduced Internet speeds and the annoying piracy protections

I have had instances where my broadband speeds are reduced. In most instances, every time I purchase the unlimited plans, the provider gives a maximum limit of data at the top speed beyond which the speeds reduce. It is a bad experience, but it is a strategy used by the network providers to limit the over use of the costly wireless network. In connection with piracy protection, the broad band providers employ the strategy of reduced speeds to discourage users from engaging in such behavior. I think that such a practice is in bad faith since it affects the genuine users of the broadband plans they purchase.

            According to my analysis of the concerns of broad band speeds and piracy protection, I think that the providers are unfair in how they handle subscribers. For a user to purchase the unlimited plans they have a need for using data heavily and the provider should not regulate them. On the other hand, the average users require the broadband connection to access simple and irregular issues over the Internet. The reduction of speeds is a bad experience for users. It is not only in challenges in streaming content but also to the Internet browsers and completion of simple online tasks (Topolsky, 2012). It becomes painful to undergo the experiences now that many carriers manage their throttling policies. The user has the data but accesses it at reduced speeds limiting their use online.      

            The issue of piracy protection by applying throttling policies is a bad practice by the broadband network providers. It is a concern that when users have access to high-speed Internet, they tend to do beyond their plans. However, it is a small percentage of all the users who buy the plan for genuine reasons. Piracy is bad and should not be practiced (Espinosa, 2011). Hence, there ought to be better and effective methods of preventing people from engaging in piracy other than reducing their Internet speeds. I think that when a user downloads content from the Internet, they have a right to it since they pay for the Internet charges. Thus, the broadband provider ought to compensate the content developer for every download over their Network on certain agreements. Net neutrality should apply to both broadband providers and the users since it encourages a fair ground in the issues regarding Internet connectivity. 

Bibliography

Espinosa, G. (2011). Internet piracy: is protecting Intellectual Property worth government             censorship. Tex. Wesleyan L. Rev., 18, 309.

Faulhaber, G. R. (2010). Transparency and broadband internet service providers. International      Journal of Communication, 4, 738-757.

Meinrath S.D & Pickard V.W (2008) Transcending Net Neutrality: Ten Steps Toward an Open    Internet, Journal of Internet Law, Vol. 12 (6); 12-19

  Sherry Roberts is the author of this paper. A senior editor at MeldaResearch.Com in Online Writing Services if you need a similar paper you can place your order from free essay writing services.