Carter, D. (2009) FCC Moves Closer to Net Neutrality eSchool News, October 23
This article raises a critical question for the future of online learning. Should telecommunications companies be allowed to ‘manage’ who gets priority over the Internet?
This article discusses steps by USA’s Federal Communications Commission to ensure a ‘net-neutral’ system, which would prevent telecommunications companies for charging differential rates, depending on the size of the customer. This would really affect the ability of public service organizations, such as schools and small colleges, to pay for service.
For a Canadian perspective, see the National Union of Public Employee’s site, which provides a comment by Canada’s leading Internet policy commentator, Michael Geiss, on the CRTC’s recent ruling on net neutrality.
It seems that Canada has taken a weaker position on this than the USA – so watch this space. This is not an issue that’s going to go away.
Dr. Tony Bates is the author of eleven books in the field of online learning and distance education. He has provided consulting services specializing in training in the planning and management of online learning and distance education, working with over 40 organizations in 25 countries. Tony is a Research Associate with Contact North | Contact Nord, Ontario’s Distance Education & Training Network.
Michael Geist has written extensively on the topic and it may be worth going directly to the source at michaelgeist.ca …
Cheers;
James
Thanks, James – the post was written in haste while working in Jeddah, Saudi – I’ve corrected it – thanks for drawing my attention to this.
I just spoke with a representative from a PBS Online (a group that does online continuing education for teachers) representative about this very issue and asked how she thought it might impact PBS’s ability to deliver distance-learning to teachers. She said they are monitoring it closely, but thinks that if they deliver quality content, people will still pay.
“If you build it, they will come.”
Well, we’ll see.