Net Neutrality

Per this Ars Technica article, I just filed my comments with the FCC regarding net neutrality. Feel free to crib from my comments to post your own:

I believe that broadband ISPs are ‘telecommunications services’, subject to Title II oversight.

I build mobile applications that rely on open access to the internet for their success, and I distribute music online. If ISPs are allowed to prioritize traffic, my uses of the internet are at risk of being substantially de-prioritized.

When I purchase broadband internet service from my ISP (Charter / Spectrum), I am paying for only that: a fast connection to the internet. While my ISP does include some free services such as an email account and security suite with my internet subscription, I do not use or want these features. I would decline to purchase them if that were an option. I pay for my own email account through fastmail.fm, cloud storage through dropbox.com, web hosting at digitalocean.com, and I manage my own security.

I believe my use of the broadband service I purchase fits the definition of “the transmission, between or among points specified by the user, of information of the user’s choosing, without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received” because I specify all of the services (points) I want to use, I choose the information to be transmitted, and I expect that the broadband service provider not to change the form or content of this information.

I have only one choice of broadband provider in my location. If the FCC waives its authority over broadband ISPs, I would be left at the whim of our provider regarding quality and price of service.

Please uphold the 2015 determination that broadband ISPs are ‘telecommunications services’ subject to greater oversight under Title II.