[ComputerWorldUK] Will Neelie Kroes Defend or Destroy EU Net Neutrality?

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I have a lot of time for Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission with responsibility for the Digital Agenda. […]

Changing the overall speed or data cap does not affect net neutrality; neither does a scheme that allows the users to prioritise certain kinds of traffic on a temporary basis (for example video streaming.) What must not be allowed is for ISPs to offer packages that permanently downgrade certain sites or certain applications. […]

The only way to prevent this kind of lock-in is to insist that full net neutrality be enshrined in EU law. That doesn’t mean that lower-cost options can’t be offered, only that they, too, must treat all IP packets equally, with no discrimination against particular sites, particular programs or particular services. And this isn’t about “telling you what sort of Internet services you must pay for”, but about ensuring that there is a level playing-field where all can compete fairly – something that increasingly isn’t the case today. […]

http://blogs.computerworlduk.com/open-enterprise/2013/01/will-neelie-kroes-defend-or-destroy-eu-net-neutrality/index.htm