Network Neutrality

If You Make a Dime On The Internet,
You Better Know About It

Right now, you get on the Internet and you just assume that you can publish any information that you want to, link to any Web site that you want, connect whenever you want, listen video, audio, podcasts, instant message your friends, and connect as fast as your physical connection will let you no matter if you are a single individual, a home based business, a mom-and-pop site, or a giant corporation.

This is all the consequence of Network Neutrality. It goes by other names like Net Neutrality, Internet Neutrality, and Web Neutrality. Whatever you call it, neutrality is what stops providers of Internet service from discriminating against you because of who you are, what you are viewing or sending, and how much money you have. Network Neutrality is like a freeway. Any car, bus, or truck can get on the freeway anytime they like and go anywhere they like.

Unfortunately, companies like AT&T, Verizon, Comcast, and Time Warner, not to mention the large phone companies (the RBOCs) want to be able to control what kind of cars, trucks, and buses can use the freeway, how fast each can go, and where they can drive to. They want to be the tollbooth of the Internet determining who gets on the Internet, who goes fast, and who goes slowly. As you would expect, this is about money because they want to charge a toll for the high speed lane and completely keep their competitors off the Internet. These "big boys" are actively lobbying Congress and during their last attempt to get control they spent over $175,000,000. Who knows how much they are going to spend this time.

Internet2 is only one effort to revamp the Internet. There are many other R&D groups working on many aspects of Internet advancements . That means there are a lot of proposals on the table, some of which don't look so positive for all of us using the Internet on a day to day basis, here on the street. A few of the good things being considered are; faster Internet speeds and better security. Some of the bad things that have been publicized are charges for email, general Internet regulation, bandwidth restrictions, and the scariest of all, publishing restrictions.

Who knows what Congress will do concerning new Internet laws. So far, both Congress and the FCC have a proven track record relating to media ownership, and it is all bad. The entire issue of Internet governance is becoming a major international issue. Many countries, particularly those in Europe are seeing the dangers inherent in big business control of the Internet. They are actively working to preserve the internet and internet freedom of access.

Free and Low Cost VoIP and Internet Telephony – Just Forget It

The big communications companies are putting the heavy sell on Congress. Do you imagine for one second that AT&T, Verizon, and the Regional Bell Operating Companies are unaware of the impact Internet phone service is having on their revenue? Of course they do! Lobbyists are already pushing for VoIP regulation, and you can be certain that if you surrender open access to the Internet to the big communications companies that Congress will pass a bunch of VoIP laws and you can kiss your free VoIP services like Skype and even your low cost VoIP services goodbye. Don't kid yourself, now that VoIP has overcome the problems with dropped calls and stutters on the line, the big boys see it as a major threat.

Have you ever been channel-surfing and found that there is nothing to watch even though you may have over one hundred channels. The problem is that newspapers, magazines, and TV networks are owned by a select few gigantic corporations. The CEO's of these corporations have to constantly come up with new revenue streams to keep the stockholders happy. With ad revenue dropping and their stockholders interest in mind, they are focusing their financial power toward the Internet. The Truth First wants to know if the interests of big corporations and government are the same as yours.

With a cool $1,000,000 required to be a corporate partner in Internet2, you can be sure that the big boys in business will get a big voice. So, if you liked stories of the Boston Tea Party in school, the hairs on the back of your neck should be raising just about now. You and your interests, not to mention the interests of all the other people who are not in elite university positions or in key corporations, are simply not being represented in this effort. Just consider the single issue of security. It sounds great to have better security, but can you think of one instance where increased security also increased the rights of the general public?

The Real Problem

The problem is that not enough information is getting into the hands of the general public about Internet2, GENI, Clean Slate Initiative and other Internet research projects. Much of the information that is published is pretty hard to understand for the average person who doesn't live and breathe in the OSI protocol layers.

1. Don't you think you should know the decisions that are being made that will dramatically change your future?
   

2. Don't you think that someone besides the universities, government, and corporations should have a voice in what the new Internet will look like?

If you do and then become a subscriber to TheTruthFirst.com. The normal annual subscription rate is $69.95, but for a very limited time while we are still finalizing our site you can get the subscription for the low price of $44.95. Just click on the button below.

More About The Truth First

Our objectives can be stated easily

1. Make information about proposed changes to the Internet widely known on an ongoing basis.
   

2. Let people easily tell others, including legislators and Internet2 members, what they think about the changes.

We will accomplish that by

1. A monthly electronic magazine for all subscribers featuring the latest Internet news.
   

2. A membership only blog where subscribers can read articles and comments, listen to audio casts, and see video casts from us and other leading figures in the Save My Internet movement and post their own ideas for others to read, hear, and see.
   

3. A messaging system to send information to legislators, Internet2 members and key players in the other Internet development communities.
   

4. A searchable archive of articles from other organizations in the Save My Internet movement.
   

5. Videos, audios, and other great things to download.
   

6. Searchable archives of our previous ezine issues.
   

Why Should You Listen to Us?

The Truth First is a group of people that is both technically and marketing savvy with varied interests in using the internet both personally and in business. We are sifting through mountains of information available on new Internet developments and talking with key players. We have spent a whole lot of time talking to the different groups that are involved in the effort to save the Internet. Our intention is to bring all those people together into a single voice and to give you the critical information in a central location... in plain English. The Truth First will provide links to the references for our articles so you can read them, post additional information or submit your own story based on the facts. Our commitment is to report as thoroughly and honestly as we can while we build a community of concerned people. We are committed to the Internet as the next and most important tool for people communicating with each other throughout the planet.