Re: [PLUG] Net Neutrality

[Art Alexion <arthur@alexion.com>]

On Monday, December 06, 2010 03:52:37 pm Doug Stewart wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 6, 2010 at 3:17 PM, Art Alexion <arthur@alexion.com> wrote:
> > Pre Internet, we had the concept of "common carrier".  If, like Bell
> > Telephone, you were a common carrier, you couldn't interfere with the
> > content you were carrying.  This was the price, as another poster put
> > it, for having the public subsidize you and for being in the carrying
> > other peoples' messages business.  Back then, a phone company with a
> > direct line to your home or business was recognized as being different
> > from a radio station, where the receiver has real options in the market.
> 
> You might have a point against Verizon, seeing as they're descendants
> of Ma Bell. Your case against Comcast is null and void, however, since
> they received no (overt) public subsidies to build their cable
> network. (That was the whole POINT of cable.)

Until Verizon was able break through with their broadband product, Comcast 
enjoyed the subsidy of government (i.e. public) granted monopoly.  In terms of 
competitive advantage, that's a big a subsidy as one can get.  Subsidies 
aren't limited to the direct transfer of dollars for government (public) 
coffers.


-- 
Art Alexion

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