Net Neutrality: How Phone and Cable Companies Plan to Cripple Your Business Web Presence
If you have or plan to have a website, then PLEASE read this article. It may affect your business where it has the most impact - your pocket.
At this very moment telephone and cable companies in control of Internet access are trying to use their enormous political muscle to dramatically change the Internet. It might be hard to believe, but lawmakers in Washington are seriously debating whether consumers should be free to use the Internet as they want in the future.
The phone and cable companies now control more than 95% of all Internet access. These large corporations are spending millions of dollars to promote legislation that would divide the Internet into a two-tiered system.
The top tier would be a "Pay-to-Play" high-speed toll-road restricted to only the largest companies that can afford to pay high fees for preferential access to the Net.
The bottom tier -- the slow lane -- would be what is left for everyone else. If the fast lane is the information "super-highway," the slow lane will operate more like a dirt road.
Consumers already pay for Internet use through their Internet Service Provider. Now these big companies want you to pay both coming and going.
Today's Internet is an incredible open marketplace for goods, services, information and ideas. A two lane system will restrict innovation because start-ups and small companies -- the companies that can't afford the high fees -- will be unable to succeed, and we'll lose out on the jobs, creativity and inspiration that come with them.
The power belongs with Internet users, not the big phone and cable companies. Let's use that power to send as many messages as possible to our elected officials in Washington. So far the telecommunications companies have managed to keep this topic largely out of the public eye. It's time to stand up and let our public officials know that we won't be pushed around.
Please join me by sending a message to your representatives in Congress before it is too late. You can make the difference, but only if you act soon.
Thank you for reading this note. I hope you'll make your voice heard today.
Write to a U.S. Senator:
The Honorable (Full Name)
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator (Last Name):
Minnesota Senators:
Norm Coleman, Web Contact
Amy Klobuchar, Web Contact
Write to your U.S. Representative:
The Honorable (Full Name)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative (Last Name):
Minnesota Representatives:
Tim Walz, 1st, Web Contact
John Kline, 2nd, Web Contact
Jim Ramstad, 3rd, Web Contact
Betty McCollum, 4th, Web Contact
Keith Ellison, 5th, Web Contact
Michele Bachmann, 6th, Web Contact
Collin C Peterson, 7th, Web Contact
James L Oberstar, 8th, Web Contact
How to Write to Your Member of Congress
Use Talking Points to Craft the Right Message
- Tell your personal story - be sure to include where you live, where you operate your small business (if different than your home), what you sell, any employees you have, and how your business has grown.
- Be concise and convey the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph.
- Ask your elected official to oppose any new legislation that would threaten your small business success.
A letter to your elected representative would have the strongest impact. In addition to that there are other ways to make your voice heard. Here is one:
www.savetheinternet.com
Related Articles:
Wall Street Journal article
Free Press article 15751
Free Press article 15733
Mac World
Slashdot Article
Sources: Some of this article was derived from a letter from Meg Whitman, the President and CEO of eBay Inc. Other portions were derived from various articles related to Net Neutrality both on and off the Internet.
There is an excellent explanation of Net Neutrality on HowStuffWorks.
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