NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Re: Simple questions
On Mon, Aug 31, 2009 at 2:54 AM, Vint Cerf<vint@google.com> wrote:
> last word from me on this:
> I want assurance that users will have the option for full broadband access
> to any and all Internet services. It is not acceptable that some users will
> have no choice other than constrained forms of access. If there were
> adequate broadband competition, it might be possible to ignore this problem
> but there is very little facilities-based competition. Consequently it would
> seem that some regulated assurance of open access is needed. I won't repeat
> all the other points I tried to make about non-discriminatory access, except
> to say that I believe there is ample latitude for a variety of business
> models within the non-discriminatory framework.
> v
Would you include the right to run servers on residential broadband as
part of your desire that "users will have the option for full
broadband access to any and all Internet services."?
[ Let's be clear about this. There is absolutely zero technical
justification for banning legal servers (or the blocking of
common server ports) for residential (or business) subscribers,
absent abusive behavior related to the subscriber's activities
or configurations that actually negatively impact other
subscribers.
This isn't just a matter of convenience, but of subscribers'
privacy as well. Why should a residential subscriber be
prohibited from running a low traffic volume https: Web server,
or run their own mail servers with STARTTLS crypto enabled,
instead of forcing mail through ISP servers? If subscribers
spam they're being abusive and the ISP can take measures under
network management clauses. If there's fear that open port 25
by default will be a problem for less technical users who don't
want to run their own mail servers, then it might be closed by
default but could be opened on request for experienced users.
The primary reason that most ISPs block and/or ban servers from
residential users is very simple -- it's an effective wedge to try
force users up to generally much more expensive business-class
service tiers.
-- Lauren Weinstein
NNSquad Moderator ]