Use It vs. Lose It: The Threat of Internet Rationing

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[Commentary] AT&T’s announcement that it would start to throttle the “heaviest users” on its wireless network is only the latest in a series of developments that place the idea of a thriving, useful Internet at risk. No one knows why rationing schemes like data caps are triggered, what they are supposed to do, much less if they are successful. Serious doubts have been raised whether caps are necessary at all to manage networks or to cover costs from increased Internet use. But consumers who wants to use the Internet more are the ones who will suffer. Some institutions, like the New York Times editorial page, the news pages of the Washington Post, and Canadian regulators, are paying attention. Some institutions, like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), are not.


Use It vs. Lose It: The Threat of Internet Rationing