How Repealing Net Neutrality Will Affect Central Minnesota
Yesterday the FCC voted 3 to 2 to repeal Net Neutrality, and granted broadband companies the power to reshape how we experience the internet. Basically what that means is service providers can now charge more for higher-quality service or online content.
Ajit Pie, a chairman for the FCC , said
“We are helping consumers and promoting competition, Broadband providers will have more incentive to build networks, especially to underserved areas.”
I am from Long Prairie Minnesota. My parents live just a few miles out of town and can't get internet to save their lives. There is one service provider, and if they do get it, it will be so slow it isn't worth the cost. Small towns all across Minnesota and the rest of the country could potentially be taken advantage of because of this.
The "free market competition" that the FCC thought the repeal would help promote doesn't exist in small towns. There is literally only one service provider, and now they will have complete control over internet speed and prices, and no one will be able to stop them.
The silver lining: the fight isn't over. Netflix announced yesterday that they plan to take legal action against the FCC because of this vote. Many webistes are also fighting back.