[exelius]

I wouldn't be so sure there's no money changing hands. One of the sides caved; and it was probably Netflix. The amount of money the ISPs were asking for from Netflix was not outrageous; the ISPs were more worried about the precedent that providing free interconnects might set. Give one to Netflix for free, and Apple, Google, Amazon and Microsoft all think they're entitled to one too.

Strategically, Netflix was holding a far weaker hand because the ISPs had no reason to give in since their brand perception was already so bad. I mean really, is it possible to hate Comcast more than most people already do?

[unabridged]

> is it possible to hate Comcast more than most people already do?

Yes. Right now the average person only hates Comcast because its a monthly bill, it increases frequently, and there is not much competition, they don't yet hate Comcast for the technical reasons "internet" people do.

But if Comcast starts making Netflix, YouTube, etc not work correctly and starts affecting the average American's daily life it will become a political issue. Congressmen will start seriously discussing turning the internet into a utility.

[bifrost]

> Congressmen will start seriously discussing turning the internet into a utility.

They have already done this, it should be opposed. You don't want people who can't balance a checkbook and think that the internet is a "series of tubes" deciding how you get internet access. The PUC/FCC rules and tarrifs are already a byzantine nightmare.

[exelius]

> Congressmen will start seriously discussing turning the internet into a utility.

I loled. Congress has a lot more important problems on its plate than this (social security, immigration, health care, etc.) On this issue they're just going to do what ever their friendly telecom lobbyist tells them to do.