Broadband companies could also throttle back the stream or block access to a specific content provider unless they got paid.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai insists that getting rid of net neutrality will result in a net gain.
In a statement, he said that “the federal government will stop micromanaging the internet,” opening the way for market innovation.
Today, there are some alternatives to wired broadband, including mobile wireless providers such as T-Mobile and satellite providers such as Dish Network.
To get around the latency issue, several ventures are getting set to put hundreds, and eventually thousands, of networked satellites in low Earth orbit, or LEO.
Meanwhile, SpaceX and its billionaire founder, Elon Musk, are making plans for a 4,425-satellite broadband-beaming constellation in low Earth orbit.
Whichever way the wranglings lead, satellite ventures — and competition in the broadband marketplace — should benefit from the exposure. »
