Equal Access to Internet in Jeopardy

Washington, DC (TLS). Equal access to the Internet is in jeopardy as Internet Service Providers and big businesses seek to change the manner in which everyone gains access to the Web. ISPs, including telephone and cable companies, want to charge a premium rate to some large businesses in order for people to reach their sites more quickly and easily.

The problem is that such a system would penalize small businesses and individuals, such as bloggers. The Web sites that pay the premium fee will be guaranteed maximum bandwidth, and those companies that do not pay this premium fee will be forced to share whatever is left.

This means it will be very difficult to access the web sites of the little guys.

The Internet will be totally dominated by large corporations that pay huge premiums for maximum bandwidth. Entrepreneurs, small businesses, and bloggers will be quashed.

Under the current system a person can gain access to ANY website with equal ease. For example, it is just as simple to access this site, The Liberty Sphere, as it is to access the website of, say, Walmart. This is how small businesses flourish on the Web. Anyone that develops a website is assured that their site is as accessible as that of Victoria's Secret or Hillary Clinton.

All of this will change if the ISPs have their way.

Legislation is being developed in Congress that will prevent ISPs from charging a premium to content providers. This legislation would prohibit ISPs from giving preferential treatment to some sites.

The Liberty Sphere will go on record as supporting this vital legislation.

This legislation, however, faces mounting opposition. The business community is nearly evenly divided in support for and opposition to the bill. The pressure on Congress from mega-corporations is significant. These enterprises seek to form a monopoly of sorts on the Internet, squeezing out smaller business and individuals.

However, most of the enterprises that utilize the Web are small businesses and individual entrepreneurs. Our voices should be much more powerful than the few huge conglomerates that wish to squeeze us out. Thus, it is vital that Congress hear from us concerning this legislation.

It is essential that Congress enact this proposed legislation that will enable new businesses and grassroots communication to flourish and prevent mega-corporations from blocking fast Internet access to the little guys.