Why doesn't a private company like Verizon have the right to tell the end user what ports they allow or don't thru THEIR network?
The same reason they can’t decide what words get spoken over their phone lines, or Sony gets to decide what gets played on its radios. They own the hardware, but do not get to determine what gets said with it. The day Net Neutrality as a concept dies is the day that corporate control of communication becomes dominant.
Why doesn't a private citizen have the right to run their PC/internet connection the way THEY want? They PAID for it. I hope they stick it to some of the more selfish carriers. We've been down this road before. Better to be ruled by (small) govt than ruled by the global corporation.
“Why doesn’t a private company like Verizon have the right to tell the end user what ports they allow or don’t thru THEIR network?”
Can we say “vertical monopoly”?
Utilities are granted “natural monopolies”, and have therefore been subject to regulation, specifically, they are not allowed to use their monopoly position to exclude competitors at other levels of service. It would be like a local telephone company not letting some long distance companies connect to their lines.
Do you think the cable company that your township signed on with should be allowed to block Freerepublic, and force you to use their favorite news blog (with ads)?