For our user agree- ment, click here . By Marc Jacobson T hanks to the people of Portland, the first leg of the race to give consumers a choice in high-speed cable Internet access just went to the champions of open access. But U.S. District Judge Owen Panner disagreed, ruling in favor of the city. Score one for the people of Portland. The ability to access the Internet through whatever means you want, relying on your favorite Internet service provider, is a matter of preserving competition and creating choice.
History shows that monopolies eliminate choice, gouge their customers and ignore complaints.
But this issue is about more than fostering the spirit of competition. We'll lose the navigation aids, editorial direction, customer support and technical services that we've come to enjoy with our current providers. And we'll lose the option of choosing another service provider that offers a better alternative. But ISPs will pay cable companies for access just as long distance companies pay local phone companies to use their lines. Open networks lead to more investment, not less.