Network Neutrality Provisions Unnecessary, BellSouth Says

SBC started it, now BellSouth is getting into the act. Two articles (1), 2) highlight comments made by William L. Smith, CTO of BellSouth, about how he’d really like to be able to charge internet companies for priority access to his network and customers.

A senior telecommunications executive said yesterday that Internet service providers should be allowed to strike deals to give certain Web sites or services priority in reaching computer users, a controversial system that would significantly change how the Internet operates.

William L. Smith, chief technology officer for Atlanta-based BellSouth Corp., told reporters and analysts that an Internet service provider such as his firm should be able, for example, to charge Yahoo Inc. for the opportunity to have its search site load faster than that of Google Inc.

Or, Smith said, his company should be allowed to charge a rival voice-over-Internet firm so that its service can operate with the same quality as BellSouth’s offering.

Network Neutrality is about ensuring that incumbent, monopolist telcos and cable companies cannot use their landline infrastructure (a monopoly which was granted by taxpayers and government many years ago) to unfairly compete against other internet services. Mr. Smith creates an artificial distintion between “prioritization” and “discrimination” of internet packets.

Prioritizing your own packets because you have access to the physical network where others do not is exactly the same as discriminating against rival services. Furthermore, “allowing” them to pay for privileged access is tantamount to extortion.

Thank you, Mr. Smith, for proving our argument for us.

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