FCC Position May Spell the End of Unlimited Internet

[Commentary] Does Network neutrality mean the days of all-you-can-eat, flat-rate Internet access are probably over? Net neutrality regulations make sense in closed, monopolistic situations. But outside of small, rural markets, most of the US offers a high level of competitive choice.

There are at least three big problems with making net neutrality a federal mandate:

1) Bandwidth is not unlimited, especially in the wireless world: ISPs say they need the flexibility to ban or mitigate high-bandwidth uses of their network or overall service will suffer.

2) Enforcement of neutrality regulations is going to be difficult: Preferential "packet shaping" is easy to turn off and on, as network demands ebb and flow, but proving such infractions of neutrality will be complex, slow and difficult.

3) Free market more effective: The Federal Communications Commission is proposing taking a free market that works, and adding another layer of innovation-stifling regulations on top of that.