Net neutrality – is it a good idea?

Following last month’s announcement from the Chairman of the US Federal Communications Commission about his intention to push for official rules that would prevent ISPs from discriminating (by blocking or slowing down) particular content and application, some of the biggest telecom-related companies made their feelings know in a letter to the Commission.

The Good Geard Guide reports that 44 companies, including heavy-weights like Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia, Motorola and Cisco Systems, signed the letter in which they stated that net neutrality rules could inhibit the development of the Internet by removing the incentive to invest. What would be the point of investing to become and offer the best, if in the end the decision rests with the Commission and not the customers?

On the other hand, there are those who are in favor of neutrality rules. They say they are crucial for the protection of small businesses and innovators – actually, for Internet’s open nature in general. They want the rules to serve as a deterrent for big companies from bullying the smaller ones, and are of the opinion that if telecom firms operated for so long under neutrality-like principles (enforced by the FCC when the need would arise) and there was no decline in investments, there shouldn’t be any after making those rules official.

The decision, of course, is for the Commission to make. They will be voting on a notice of proposed rulemaking for net neutrality rules on October 22.