AT&T CEO: Verizon, Google net-neutrality proposal good for the industry

By on Aug 12, 2010 at 12:59 AM
News August 12, 2010

This morning while speaking in Boston, AT&T Mobility’s CEO Ralph de la Vega quipped that the net-neutrality agreement recently published by Verizon and Google was “good for the industry.” AT&T’s chief went on to say that the pact, “indicates that two companies from different industries can come together on a difficult issue.” The Electronic Frontier Foundation analyzed the joint proposal, saying: “It carves out exemptions from neutrality requirements for so-called ‘unlawful’ content, for wireless services, and for very vaguely-defined ‘additional online services.’ The definition of ‘reasonable network management’ is also problematically vague. As many, many, many have already pointed out, these exemptions threaten to completely undermine the stated goal of neutrality.” Whether you love or hate the Google/Verizon net-neutrality proposal, it has brought attention to this hot-button issue. An issue that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. What are your thoughts on the proposal?

Read [de la Vega] Read [EFF]

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29 Comments

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  • jeff

    I know wat would be good froyo update for my HTC Droid Incredible… net neutrality is just a way for big companies to do whatever they want to do with the internet this is just a gateway thing for other company and the fcc to abuse gf internet….

  • blkrabb1t

    Of course ATT, and other wireless networks will approve of this message. So yeah, at this rate, I can’t say I’m looking forward to throttled wireless speeds based on the sites that I decide to visit on my 4G connection.

  • Jay

    I didn’t know Ron Jeremy’s older brother was the CEO of AT&T

  • billy

    i dont care just get me a droid pro

  • Juan

    Anything Att agrees with must be evil.

    • MikeD

      You do realize the idea was masterminded by Google and Verizon, right?

  • SOUTHERN MISS ELITE

    When you hear “net neutrality”, the first thing you think of is typically something negative. Neutrality isn’t really a positive word. It’s confusing to most Americans.

    Here’s the gist of it. Everyone as of right now has the same “rights” on the internet. That means your ISP cannot limit your “rights”. EX: If you wanted to go to 4chan, you’d be able to go as fast as you would possibly be able to go to qvc.com.

    These ISPs though….they dislike this concept. Why? Because they pay to lay the cabling down and they pay fees and stuff to provide service to you. In their minds, the outrageous price for internet is not enough! They want to limit the sites you go to. Mainly for political purposes. We all know if they could, they would accept donations from certain sites and cap the speeds of their competitors. That’s how business works here in America.

    It’s up to the FCC to rule whether to keep net neutrality or to end it. And for some reason, like everything in America, it’s not a right vs wrong, but now a right vs left issue, with conservatives wanting to get rid of it (free country/free business argument) and liberals wanting to keep it (fairness and equality)

    So that’s the overall gist of it. Of course, I’m sure there will be 5 replies with posters trying to break it down to micro levels to justify their side…

  • Swagger

    Capitalist pigs.

  • Garry

    I don’t like the way this is all going. Soon were going to have to pay just to get search engines we want. You want google.com that will be 9.99 added to your bill each month. Lol all jokes aside but I see this coming :(

    • SOUTHERN MISS ELITE

      Think about how realistic this Verizon/Google alliance might get.

      Verizon might keep the speeds to Google results the same, if not figure out a way to speed up the results.

      While blocking competitors…unless they pay up.

      And if they can get NN struck down,they might tell consumers “Hey, this is how we’re going to play the game. All speeds are now the fastest we offer in your area. Aren’t we so kind???

      Google is our official sponsor, so they’ll be free on any tier we offer.

      For tier one, which is 25gb of data each month and your choice of 1 additional search engine, it’ll be 20 dollars.

      For tier two, which is 50gb of data each month and your choice of 2 additional search engines, it’ll be 30 dollars.

      ….For unlimited data, it’ll be 75 dollars a month and it’ll also get you access to all search engines”

      Sounds unrealistic, right?

      Look at what they’re doing with cell phones and data plans. Unlimited became “unlimited” which became what is now (on ATT) I believe a 2GB plan and a 500mb plan. Yea, you’re saving money by having the option to accept the 500mb plan, but you’re losing data on the back end, and if you go over, you’re charged additional.

      I’m just typing….don’t let this turn political. Let it turn into “is this fair”. The left and right are putting their stamps on this issue and in turn confusing people who THINK they’re doing the correct thing but in actuality are supporting what they wouldn’t normally support.

      • ryan

        You say don’t turn this political but you already said this is a left vs right issue. The scenario you are describing is ridiculous. And for the record the courts have struck down the FCC’s authority and said they have no authority over netnutrality.

  • Politicalslug

    Doesn’t a specific deal like this negate the whole idea of neutrality? The spirit of net neutrality is in not signing contracts and deals that limit bandwidth for all but the largest companies (in this case Google). Of course AT&T is praising it. They can’t wait to sign a “neutrality” contract of their own. Oh Yahoo! or will it be Bing?

  • Runner

    Is he related to Plugs Biden??

  • wicket

    as I’ve suspected for years… Google really is evil.

    Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone) at: Rome Americas

    • MikeD

      … One ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.

  • http://www.livens.org JL

    I think that the Google/Verizon net neutrality proposal is anything but neutral. It is very bad for the consumer and I blogged about it here: http://www.livens.org/2010/08/10/googizon-and-net-neutrality/

  • X

    Net neutrality Is a Must or we will end up going back to BBS Days.

    X

  • Garth

    Google isnt evil. Verizon is evil. Verizon wouldnt be nothing today and wouldnt be talking net nuetrality if it wasnt for us consumers. I mean who pays $69 for unlimited talk only. booo. just boo man. Were making these guys richer and putting them in a position to do this to us….just seen it comment up above that says “i dont care just get me a droid pro”. that person will probably be complaining one day about the same thing he just said he doesnt care about……damn.

  • hp

    Googles motto was do no evil right? Bastards. I would be embarrassed to be a google employee now. I expect this screw you attitude from Verizon and At&t which owns well over 65% of all wireless phone market in usa. But now I see google is positioning to make the bandwidth they bought very valuable while screwing everyone else. As they want more profits they will do more evil and they have so many captive already in their snares of ‘free’ productivity cloud based apps. Its a black day for google.

  • hp

    PS. Write the Congress of the US – both house and Senate reps to voice your outrage of Google et al getting ready to screw us in the a** and without KY.

  • hp

    PS. Write the Congress of the US – both house and Senate reps to voice your outrage of Google et al getting ready to screw us in the a** and without KY lube.

  • hp

    PS. Write the Congress of the US – both house and Senate reps to voice your outrage of Google et al getting ready to screw us in the a** and without KY lube.

    This type of shit is why other countries have 10x our bandwidth and we are third rate.

  • hp2

    PS. Write the Congress of the US – both house and Senate reps to voice your outrage of Google et al getting ready to screw us in the a** and without KY lube.

    This type of shit is why other countries have 10x our bandwidth and we are third rate.

  • Caligula Perturbius

    Good for industry= bad for consumers.

  • JJFNIGHTS80

    Yeah what ever MR. CEO AT&T kiss up to Steve Jobs ass as you fucked up the the Black Flip and more upcoming phones. You don’t care bout Google or ANDROID sorry ass CEO.

  • LCW

    De La Vega is such a douche!!! He is trying SO hard to make AT&T the dictatorship that is VZW today. He is succeeding.

    C’mon Apple! Hurry up and give T-Mo US the iphone so I can switch and tell AT&T to kiss my @$$!!!

  • TEB

    While the business perspective on much of the above comments are well stated, the bigger concern here is that of FREE SPEECH… and that’s exactly what this will be an attack upon…

  • zee

    im new to google,microsoft,apple story! is it me or is google just copying others? i mean tell me app with microsoft, ios with apple, may be i am wrong

  • Kamran Abdi

    All players (google, ATT, Verizon) in this mess are nicely put here

    Stop Voogling and Ditch AT&T – You will live
    http://awesomedc.com/2010/08/14/stop-voogling-and-ditch-att-%E2%80%93-you-will-live/

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