Trying To Limit Net Access, Dutch Telcos Accidentally Force Government To Speak Out Net Neutrality

Techdirt ^ | April 28th

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Although the below image has been circulating the internet as a satirical warning for some time now, Dutch telco KPN recently announced that it's actually going to implement something like this due to declining revenue.

The company stated that starting this summer it will be blocking chat-messaging applications such as WhatsApp (competes with SMS), VoIP services (competes with calls) and heavy streaming services. All these services will get their own price tag, just like is currently the case with calling and text messaging. The problem with that logic of course is that calling and SMS are actually different services that the telco offers; but in the case of creating pay packages for internet services, probably none of the services are from the telco itself. Some other telcos, such as Vodafone, already stated that it, too, is interested in plans like these (Vodafone is already blocking VoIP and selling access to VoIP services for 5 EUR per month).

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

This is just friggin great. This is exactly the kind of thing that's gonna give the marxists the kind of ammo they need in order to implement their schemes.

It's almost as if the telcos want governments to silence us online.

Which would make sense, as a historical argument. Corporations always think/hope that in the end, they can team up with government and become the one or one of a few "chosen monopolies".

But that never ends well either.

[antiRepublicrat]

Weren’t you saying this would never happen, there’s no reason for government to step in and protect the openness of the Internet?