Net Neutrality: Mark Cuban Terrified Of What The FCC Could Do

2/20/2015

One of the most vocal owners in professional sports did not mince words when asked for his thoughts of the debate over net neutrality at a conference Wednesday. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is set to vote on the reforms later this month.

“That will f**k everything up,” said Mark Cuban at the Code/Media conference in Laguna Niguel, Calif, Re/Code reported. Cuban is the owner of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) Dallas Mavericks and co-host of ABC’s Shark Tank.

Later this month, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will vote on a proposal by the group’s chairman, Tom Wheeler, that will reclassify the Internet as a Title II telecommunications service based on the Telecommunications Act of 1934–like a public utility.

“Net neutrality is just a demonization of big companies,” Cuban added.

The voracious entrepreneur also expressed concern that the body voting on the proposal is politically appointed and that in six years, “we won’t know who Tom Wheeler is.”

Richard Larsen lamented the proposal in an op-ed published for Western Journalism earlier this month. “Current broadband consumption illustrates how ludicrous the proposal is. 

According to Sandvine data, ‘in home data consumption is approximately 150 to 200 times greater than mobile consumption. Google (including YouTube) and Netflix account for 45 percent of fix broadband traffic.’” He continues:

According to the new rules, broadband usage must be shared equally, without allowing providers the ability to adjust for consumption and demand, and other factors. So if you think you’re sick of seeing the spinning ‘buffering’ wheel when watching video online, you ‘ain’t seen nothing yet!’ Welcome to the world of net neutrality, a euphemism for broadband socialism – everyone gets their ‘fair share.’

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai has also been a critic of Wheeler’s proposal, specifically that the plan will not be released ahead of the February 28 meeting. “The FCC should be as open and transparent as the Internet itself and post the entire document on its website,” Pai said after details of the plan were announced.

“Instead it looks like the FCC will have to pass the president plan before the American people will be able to find out what’s really in it.”

h/t: The Blaze

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