The Beltway Visit
November 3, 2009
I have to confess, I entered the abyss last week.
I walked the streets beyond the looking glass. I was somewhere between the Wizard of Oz and the Twilight Zone, with some Homer Simpson on the side.
Yes, yours truly was inside the Beltway last week … Haz-Mat Suit and with Oxygen Tanks strapped to my back. I was not trying to avoid the swine flu, I just did not want to breathe or drink whatever it is inside the Beltway. Once people get outside the Beltway, they seem to have commonsense but once they are inside the Beltway breathing and drinking whatever … commonsense just goes out the window, in my opinion.
I was on a secret mission … but that is not what this blog episode is about.
It’s about an observation on Net Neutrality while visiting our Nation’s capital.
I flew into Dulles airport outside of DC and my Zen Master picked me up for a commute into the Beltway. Something funny I noticed on the way in …
Did you know the roads into DC are not all net neutral? They have public roads for anyone equally which get backed up nicely because all vehicles have neutral or the same access – they do have a commuter lane as well … for two plus people in a vehicle.
My Zen Master took me on a privately owned toll road that zips you right into Toon Town provided you are willing to pay the toll for the less congested route. In addition, and can you imagine this, depending upon the time of day, given traffic demand – the cost of the tolls fluctuate as demand peaks and stretches resources. You pay a higher price if what it is you are doing is important enough to justify so. I think it’s called the free market system.
I don’t know if they charge more for tractor trailers (bigger loads) versus an automobile … but it would make sense. It’s not just the distance; it’s also how heavy of a load/occupancy.
I wonder how many of our lawmakers commute over the net neutral road versus the non-net neutral road for expediency.
I’ll leave you with this thought: I was reading a few articles on IT Healthcare – lots of Federal money pouring into this sector. This IT stuff for decades has been referred to as “Telemedicine.” It will be nice when all these health facilities have better IT infrastructure. But what left me pondering was this: Let’s say someone in Colby, Kansas is in need of emergency cardiac surgery and the best practicing cardiologist is needed to guide a local surgeon through a very delicate procedure.
This expert cardiologist is located in Chicago. Will “net neutrality” provide a reliable, high definition video pipe and voice connection between Colby and Chicago?
Written by Dave Rusin - Telecom Executive
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Thank you Sensei, one or two compelling arguments put very nicely. To borrow from another movie; I’m reviewing the situation…
Great analogy….Do you think anyone in D.C. is listening?