We’re going to take a break from Net Neutrality – soon. I suspect the ‘Save the Net‘ will be an issue worth exploring at The Canadian Telecom Summit in June – although the regulatory blockbuster panel has the Telecom Policy Review, Local Forbearance, the upcoming VoIP appeal [to be released in May] and a host of other things to keep the battle engaged.
Before I leave this issue, at least for a few days, we should mention the logical progression that starts with the structure of the internet itself. Because communications are peer-to-peer, content providers and content consumers are both customers of ISPs, purchasing appropriate levels of connectivity.
Some content providers [ie. all the major ones], host their content in multiple sites, buy very big access pipes connecting to one or more ISPs, etc. Some choose to move their content into colocated server farms, or telecom hotels, in order to provider enhanced security, managed service. Because this is a fiercely competitive business, the ISPs aggressively pursue this business, making various offers of additional enhanced services. Some content providers do co-branding deals with the ISPs (Rogers Yahoo, Sympatico MSN). In some cases, ISPs provide content themselves (eg. AOL/Time Warner).
Eventually, the discussion between the service provider and its customer gets around to quality of service through the network. An ISP might offer guarantees (called a Service Level Agreement) to one of its customers.
Why is it, just because that customer is called a content provider, that the world is turned upside down with a movement to stop the greedy broadband monopolists? We’ll discuss this more at The Canadian Telecom Summit.