Digitally dividing
Up until today, Verizon has always claimed to have an abundance of capacity, boasting that its Fios network - with speeds of 50 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream - will reach 15 million homes by the end of 2009.
The firm has also just sunk $17 billion into the network to begin 4G wireless deployment and expansion of its IP network. Sounds to us as if Mr. Lynch is looking for a little return on investment.
Of course, not wanting to ignite a riot (Lynch mob?), the Verizon CTO avoided saying whether or not his firm had concrete plans to implement such data rationing in the near future, but did imply that he hoped the FCC would stay out of its business if and when Verizon did decide to implement such a plan.
It is rather hard to imagine the FCC allowing such a scheme to pass, with the organisation seemingly moving in exactly the opposite direction at the moment with its net neutrality principles. Verizon's plan would, in effect, stifle the net and put lower income families at a massive disadvantage when it came to digital equality. As if the digital divide isn't already big enough.
Nobody should have to count the number of megabytes they're using to send a quick IM, or upload a video to YouTube, it's almost as ridiculous a notion as asking people to pay for the amount of air they breathe on a daily basis.
So let's just hope that Mr. Lynch's bark is worse than his expensive megabyte.
Do you agree that Internet access shouldn't be metered, or do you think ISP's should be free to charge however they choose? Let us know in the HEXUS.community discussion forums.
