The battle to enact network neutrality

"All you have to do is block it one time out of five, or make a service less
reliable or harder to use, and people will quit using it," he said. "In the
network world, the user never knows where the problem is."

This article really spells out how much control the phone companies and cable companies may have over the functionlity of the internet. The author alludes to the idea that a free and open internet may be a thing of the past. He says that major service providers are getting tired of websites getting filthy rich (Google) off of their (the cable and phone co's) investments and system infrastructure. Apparently the telco's and cable companies want to be able to block certain sites or at the very least disrupt their user-friendliness so that people no longer want to visit the site.
Neutrality agreements seem to be the only answer in sight. I think it's somewhat scary to think that the cable and phone companies could disrupt individual websites. It's almost monopolistic. I understand the point that the telcos are making, but in all fairness these companies have made a name for themselves as monopoly-makers and they fail to evoke sympathy from me. Eventually there will be competition for wireless providers on a large scale, until then, the telcos and cable companies should quit their crying and count their blessings.

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/special_packages/sunday_review/14894686.htm