Yahoo! Article Uses Portugal as Example of the Internet w/o Net Neutrality

... And it doesn't look that good for consumers or Internet startups! Want music streaming? Pay more. Video streaming? Pay more. Email? Pay more. Social Media? Yep, pay more.

Portugal hints at what the American internet could eventually look like without net neutrality

What really bugs me is I already pay my ISP for faster service that might get slowed simply because I want to access a website that doesn't pay my ISP for preferred service. I firmly believe ISPs shouldn't be allowed to have it both ways.

One thing I wonder about with the FCC's decision to "lightly regulate" ISPs by transferring that responsibility to the FTC. How does that work legally? The FCC was responsible for communications and AFAIK doesn't have the power to transfer that obligation to the FTC. Sounds like they're begging to be sued.

Like I posted earlier, I already pay more for faster access and the ISP shouldn't be allowed to slow my access down since I already pay them extra for faster access.

I also find it strange that the ISPs are telling everyone that they have no intention of instituting multi-tiered Internet access/transmission speeds, yet they've spent $Millions in lobbying costs to get permission to do just that!

Quote from Red

I live in the country and don't have high speed internet available. That promise of rural access didn't happen so I really don't have an issue with letting the market regulate speed.

For years, the ISPs have claimed that if we just unleash them (deregulate) they'll bring high speed access to everyone. Unfortunately, although they were given plenty of opportunities to "innovate," they failed to meet their promises. A lot of that failure was probably due to the simple fact that in most markets, there is usually only one access provider. With no competition, what incentive is there to improve?
Not necessarily related to rural communities, but one of FCC Chairman Pai's first actions was to cut back on the program designed to make affordable internet access available to lower income customers. Companies were applying to be in the program, but the FCC was denying them participation. The economics of supplying electricity and phones has always been a problem for rural communities where the network must cover a widespread, but sparsely network. My father's parents didn't have electricity to their farm until 1957, and I think their phone service was based on the party line access model until the late 1960s.

Quote from Red

Net neutrality assumes that all internet traffic is equally important. Posting selfies and sending medical records aren't equal. Why shouldn't there be an ability to buy faster service?

Nothing wrong with paying more faster access, but I do not expect my ISP to give me slow response from a website that hasn't yielded to an ISP's blackmail demands for their content to get delivered. I already paid extra to get access to whatever site I want to view. Now if the ISPs are wanting to shift access costs from the consumer to the provider, that's one thing, but I don't think they should be allowed to charge at both ends if I am already paying for faster access.