"...Recently, Net Neutrality-support association French Data Network (FDN), the first historical French ISP, underwent a sudden contract rupture from SFR, its ADSL provider. This is serious threat to Net Neutrality because this shows that big companies can have the power 1) to avoid competition 2) to control which company can or cannot provide Internet access.

Net neutrality has been a hot and persistent topic on the internet for some time, so I'm not even going to attempt to summarize the debate here. Anyone who values their personal and online freedom knows it's a crucial issue. Regardless of your operating system or the software we use it will affect each and every one of us.

To the chagrin of their competitors, GoogleMail seems to have become almost as synonymous with webmail as Google has with search engine If you lose access to Google service or to your account then you lose your e-mails. Fear not oh free software lover, help is at hand in the form of the very useful getmail.
read more

"...A group of Representatives from the U.S. Congress have sent the FCC a letter to keep the pressure on for net neutrality. Representatives Ed Markey (D-MA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Jay Inslee (D-WA), all of whom are members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, sent FCC chair Julius Genachowski the letter..."

"Net Neutrality refers to free access to the Internet without discrimination based upon how often a user accesses the Internet or how much broadband capacity they utilize. Advocates for Net Neutrality believe that users are entitled to unlimited access in order to preserve current freedoms as well as to prevent broadband providers from abusing their power to block applications they do not favor or to discriminate between content providers..." Via EFF => http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/01/university-san-francisco-law-studen...

The good news is that the Federal Communications Commission has the power to issue regulations that protect net neutrality. The bad news is that draft regulations written by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski don't do that at all. They're worse than nothing.

Make your voice heard to ensure that your EU representatives make a strong commitment for a free and open Internet against pressure from the telecoms industry.

Long-frustrated network neutrality advocates headed into 2009 with high hopes.

« "Net neutrality". This obscure yet simple concept is the root of the development of the Internet as we know it. In the digital environment, it is the guarantee of competition, innovation, and fundamental freedoms. Until now, net neutrality has been the rule, both for technical and economical reasons.