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From what I gathered about discussions on net neutrality it helps some big providers (streaming video, etc.) to get bigger profits because this traffic could no

From what I gathered about discussions on net neutrality it helps some big providers (streaming video, etc.) to get bigger profits because this traffic could not be handled separately from the rest. I really don't see why to sponsor these people on everyone else's money. E.g. in Russia there is no net neutrality as far as I can tell. So my mobile plan has separate components for video, music, and social networks. It's not that I have to buy them all: I have universal access capped at 4GB, but if I buy e.g. "unlimited video", then the traffic from the selected provides (YouTube, etc.) won't count toward that limit. I myself am totally happy with this setup because I don't use any of that (and working form home hardly ever reach the 4GB cap itself), which keeps my mobile bill pretty low. My understanding is that if we had net neutrality then there wouldn't be any such discrimination and I would have to buy just some universal "Internet" and the price of that would have to be averaged between me and the avid YouTube and Instagram users. Why is this supposed to be beneficial?

wtallis 6y ago
> My understanding is that if we had net neutrality then there wouldn't be any such discrimination and I would have to buy just some universal "Internet" and the price of that would have to be averaged between me and the avid YouTube and Instagram users. Of course not. Net Neutrality does not prevent ISPs from charging per GB. It does prevent them from offering an "unlimited video" option that only actually covers their hand-picked selection of video providers, most of whom will have been extorted to be included on the approved list.
piaste 6y ago
> Why is this supposed to be beneficial? Because it means that a new video hosting or photo stream service has the same network access as the established players. It's already insanely difficult to beat the network effect of an existing social media website, now imagine if Newstagram counted against your 4GB limit but Instagram didn't... If the discrimination was based on content, eg by MIME type, that would be fair, but it wouldn't be technically enforceable under HTTPS (and easily bypassed anyway). Then again, why is that even needed? Why does the premium package have to be "unlimited video" and not "unlimited gigabytes [wherever you download it from]"? Does it cost your ISP any less to transport hours of 4K Netflix than hours of 4K illegal streaming sites? Your cheap 4GB package would be unaffected anyway, net neutrality determines what you can buy at the higher tiers.
- Mikhail_Edoshin 6y ago
  Ah, I see. Yes, you're right.

wtallis 6y ago

> My understanding is that if we had net neutrality then there wouldn't be any such discrimination and I would have to buy just some universal "Internet" and the price of that would have to be averaged between me and the avid YouTube and Instagram users. Of course not. Net Neutrality does not prevent ISPs from charging per GB. It does prevent them from offering an "unlimited video" option that only actually covers their hand-picked selection of video providers, most of whom will have been extorted to be included on the approved list.

piaste 6y ago

> Why is this supposed to be beneficial? Because it means that a new video hosting or photo stream service has the same network access as the established players. It's already insanely difficult to beat the network effect of an existing social media website, now imagine if Newstagram counted against your 4GB limit but Instagram didn't... If the discrimination was based on content, eg by MIME type, that would be fair, but it wouldn't be technically enforceable under HTTPS (and easily bypassed anyway). Then again, why is that even needed? Why does the premium package have to be "unlimited video" and not "unlimited gigabytes [wherever you download it from]"? Does it cost your ISP any less to transport hours of 4K Netflix than hours of 4K illegal streaming sites? Your cheap 4GB package would be unaffected anyway, net neutrality determines what you can buy at the higher tiers.

Mikhail_Edoshin 6y ago
Ah, I see. Yes, you're right.