Don't they already pay more, for greater bandwidth usage? /confused

Companies pay for bandwidth. The more they use the more they pay. However, the Telcos want to provide "special services" for extra cost. If your site is popular you may begin to see your page loads slow down. You will move the same amount of bits per month but your pages will get to your end users more slowly.

Why? because your stuff is not being routed over the better quality "premium network". This will help lock out upstarts like utube (popular sites that do not have buckets of cash.)

Also this is NOT about the telcos charging companies for access to the Internet. This is Telcos charging companies to use your DSL/Cable/Dialup/T1 to send you content.

Talk to Kevin.

This fits in to a rant I've been fermenting for some time (coming soon to a blog near you!).

Big companies have a conviently selective memory. A congolmerate of giant PC and OS manufacturers (say) will say "we are the leaders in this industry and all innovation comes from us, so when we propose measures like 'trusted computing' that will freeze out any little guys, there's no need for you to worry since we'll still be doing all the innovating"

What they forget is that they were once the goofy little 10 person company trying to stick it to the big guy, and that industry-changing stuff almost by definition must come from outsiders.

It's the same thing here. The flat, equal-access for all data nature of the Internet is not a mistake, it is by design and possibly it's single most useful feature. If the http and the web were invented today, and these companies had their way with differential charges, it would never get off the ground.

It's the same kind of self sabotage you see in the music industry. EVERY single new technology that ended up increasing their profits many times over they have fought against tooth and nail. I'm not talking about just CDs and iTunes. I'm talking about selling sheet music and player pianos here.

RANT ENDS

OMG CUP O'HAMSTER!

Well, you know with revenues down they've gotta figure out some way to make money.

I'm thinking of this in the same way that trucks pay a higher toll to use toll roads than regular passenger cars because they cause more harm. It may not be the case but that's the parable I've come up with.

Right, but the toll is so high that only the Wal Mart and Coca Cola trucks can afford it. Smaller trucking companies wouldn't be able to afford the toll.

Much less Joe Schmoe who just wants to get home from Ikea with that coffee table he just bought.

This is bullshit and yet more evidence of how cozy the current administration is with big business. Not business, mind you, but big business.

Easy on Mr. Schmoe, ooga_booga. That's not just any coffee table, but a bright red NYPPALKLEP table he has there, which will go perfectly with his KOKKRENG easy chair, his HAENDKOFS ottoman, and his BOLGAAG teevee stand.

Cozy, indeed!