FCC passes ruling on Net Neutrality
Landmark case favours popular choice of liberating the internet
With the colour of a single oversaturated image of a dress occupying internet airspace, it’s easy to miss the fact that the FCC ruled on one of the most important issues in American history. On Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015, in a landmark decision, the American Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruled 3-to-2 in favour of establishing and implementing an Open Internet Order – true, unhindered Net Neutrality.
The issue of Net Neutrality was first coined by Columbia University professor Tim Wu in 2003, to give a name to the notion of protecting the internet as a free, uncontrolled gateway. Net Neutrality first became a major public issue sometime around 2011, when the United States Congress proposed the introduction of House Bill 3261 – the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Alongside Senate Bill 968 – the PROTECT IP Act, the internet was set ablaze by the prospect of having online access regulated by any individual governing body.
The internet was designed with the sole intent of allowing free access to knowledge and networks around the world; by filtering content and restricting users from accessing the internet, the United States Government – alongside key players from the European Union – sparked a powder keg.
Eventually, thanks in part to websites like Google, Wikipedia, YouTube, and approximately 7,000 other sites, SOPA and PIPA were prevented from moving forward in either the American Congress or Senate.
However, the issue of an unregulated internet re-emerged when American telecommunications giants were accused of throttling (slowing down) their customers’ internet speeds during peak hours. To avoid experiencing throttled speeds, internet service providers (ISPs) began charging premium prices for customers wanting to access popular video streaming websites like Netflix, Hulu, or Crackle, and popular music streaming services like Spotify and Pandora.
Netflix and Comcast launched a public smear campaign, with the former accusing the latter of preventing user access, while the latter accused the former of not paying dues and fees. Even after Netflix agreed to pay Comcast for so-called “fast lane” access, customers still continued to complain that their services were suffering from throttled speeds. Net Neutrality became a tour-de-force issue on the tongues of ISPs, website, politicians, and regular users.
Over the course of the debate, several sides emerged attempting to curry favour. On one hand, governments claimed that a regulated internet would lead to reduced online crime, as well as a decrease in the independent property theft that results from online piracy. On the other hand, users claimed that the internet deserved to maintain its free status, far removed from the control of any individual governments.
To the layman user, however, the issue was a simple matter of fiscal pragmatism: how would it be possible to access a speedy, reliable internet while paying as little as possible? For users in small towns like Chinle and Fort Defiance who, according to an article from The Washington Post, suffered speeds as slow as 1.5 Mbps, the issue was simply a matter of getting online.
For corporations, the issue was a matter of fiscal efficiency. Both ISPs and services like Netflix were looking for the fastest way to turn a profit. That ISPs, in an attempt to monopolize internet access, had painted themselves as the villains of the issue was simply a matter of poor marketing.
With the FCC’s landmark ruling, the internet is now protected under federal law, specifically: common carrier law. Under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 – the same American legislation that established the FCC – a common carrier is “any person engaged as a common carrier for hire.” Common carriers are regulated by a regulatory body in order to insure quality, efficiency, and legality.
In terms of the internet, ISPs are common carriers delivering the websites to users on behalf of companies like Google, YouTube, or Netflix. With the FCC’s ruling, ISPs now report to the FCC – an institution that some have called “archaic” and “hell-bent on enforcing every mundane draconic restriction that prevents corporations under its regulation from overstepping boundaries.”
In short, the internet – insofar as it applies to American websites, including Netflix, Reddit, Google, YouTube, Yahoo, Facebook, and Tumblr – is now protected from overzealous ISPs by a deliberate and protective older brother.
Mobile World Congress 2015
Tech industry movers-and-shakers meet to unveil future of mobile technology
The 2015 Mobile World Congress (MWC) officially kicked-off on March 2, 2015. Over the course of four days, developers, conglomerates, industry leaders, fans, and investors convened in Barcelona to discuss and unveil the direction that the mobile industry will take. Among the exhibitors were Korean electronics giant Samsung, Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, and American computer gaming leader Valve. In addition, Google, Blackphone, Alcatel-Lucent, and even Mozilla were all present to reveal what they’ve been working on for the past few months.
MWC, officially the GSMA Mobile Word Congress, was first set in 1987. Since then, it has been a platform for members of the GSM association to showcase new research, new technology, as well as network to set plans for the future.
Due to the shear amount of new technology unveiled at this year’s MWC, The Ontarion decided to compile a list of the most interesting – and most exciting – announcements from this year’s expo.
Samsung and the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge
It’s been a long time since Samsung conquered the smartphone market with its Galaxy S3 device. Since that time, the flagship Galaxy line of phones has seen two new iterations. However, critics have been quick to point out how little Samsung has actually done with its S4 and S5 devices, highlighting the fact that cheap build quality, a sluggish user interface, and otherwise unnecessary additions to their software have rendered the Korean company inadequate in comparison to other offerings. Some critics have been harsher, chiding Samsung for simply trying to play catch-up with Apple.
At this year’s MWC, Samsung unveiled their sixth iteration of the Galaxy line: the Samsung Galaxy S6. Made from a sleek combination of Corning Gorilla Glass and solid aluminum, there’s no denying that Samsung has built a gorgeous device. With a stunning 5.1 inch 1440×2560 display (with 577 pixels per inch), a 2,550 mAh battery, three GB of RAM, and an absolutely gargantuan octa-core processor, there’s no denying that Samsung brought it’s best to MWC.
However, the device bears a striking similarity to Apple’s iPhone 6, and Samsung’s own original Ativia S renderings. That being said, with a thin form-factor bellying a stunning phone, Samsung has done well.
The Galaxy S6 Edge is where Samsung decided to really showcase their ingenuity, however. Featuring a screen that curves over both sides of the device, the S6 Edge is a phone playing with the future. It features slightly lower-end specs than its more powerful sibling – the most blatant difference being the Edge’s quad-core processor – but its design is certainly intriguing.
HTC and the HTC One M9
In comparison to Samsung, HTC’s share of the market is relatively slim. What the Taiwanese company lacks in marketshare, however, they more than make up for in unabashed style and panache. Since launching the HTC One in 2013, the manufacturer has made a name as a company firmly invested in beautiful design.
It bears mentioning that this year’s flagship HTC One device looks almost identical to last year’s model. Indeed, with the same BoomSound speakers flanking the 5.0 inch 1920×1080 display, most users would be forgiven for thinking that HTC simply repackaged last year’s phone. The device’s internals have received welcome upgrades, however. Three GB of RAM, an ARM quad-core processor, as well as a 2,840 mAh battery can be found inside.
Google and Project Loon
This year’s MWC featured exciting ideas and announcements from the American search engine (and Renaissance Man in corporate form) Google. Project Loon – the “Internet in a balloon” – Android Pay, and the hint that Google is looking to expand its services to start its own telecommunications company were among Google’s most interesting announcements.
While Google – telecomm giant extraordinaire – is still an idea floating above the clouds, Google’s Project Loon has the rare distinction of being a sky-high idea firmly rooted in the ground. The plan is simple: launch weather balloons into the stratosphere so users from developing nations can connect to and access the internet, regardless of local telecomm restrictions. For users in developed nations with established internets, Project Loon can come to the rescue when natural disasters cut off communication.
At events like MWC, no one really wins, except the users. With companies trying their best to innovate and advance the industry, the best part about exhibitions and conventions like MWC is the chance to get a close look at the enchanting electronic future.