The US Without Net Neutrality: How An Internet Nightmare Unfolds

Under President Donald Trump, the public may finally get a firsthand look at what network neutrality means in practice — because if the Trump Administration is able to successfully abolish it, the internet is going to get a lot more expensive and harder to use. So what would the internet look like without net neutrality?

Internet providers would likely start using it for a business advantage, said Gigi Sohn, a recently-retired FCC senior official who advised former FCC chairman Tom Wheeler on net neutrality rules. To start, internet providers not burdened by net neutrality could begin by offering deals and exclusives for their content. Streaming video sites could balkanize even further: Hulu might cut an exclusive deal with Comcast while Netflix inked one with Verizon, meaning no one could get access to both. And if you’re one of those unlucky Americans whose neighborhood is only served by a single provider? Hope you like whichever service it struck a deal with, because that’s all you’ll be able to legally get.