UK members, how does net neutrality effect our internet?

im totally confused about all this net neutrality business. I've read some posts on ATS, but as usual it's all very american centric, which means it's full of partisan BS from one side or another. Do any UK members know about how net neutrality effects UK Internet usage. My internets pretty slow due to the fact, I live in a tiny village in a rural area. My brothers Internet is so much faster because he lives in London with much faster connection speeds. So what's the deal for us brits as it seems like an important issue, I should know about and understand, but I don't. Now I now there's some smart brits on here even some who work in the communications industry. Could you explain to me in lay mans terms what's the deal in the UK. Thanks in advance

a reply to: woodwardjnr

As far as I understand it does not affect us in the UK, the only reason your internet is slower is the logistics of upgrading the lines and exchanges.

From what I understand the American ISP's are wanting to charge more for certain types of data transfer so you would pay more for streaming netflix than reading your emails. Basically good old US big business trying to increase profits.

Our Isp's are already regulated so it does not affect us at all.

Although I may be completley wrong about everything I just said.

a reply to: woodwardjnr

To be honest this net neutrality or the fact that your ISPs will now be regulated in similar fashion to your public utilities has little or no impact regarding the U.K. GCHQ essentially has a finger in every pie pertaining to any and all U.K service providers.

a reply to: woodwardjnr

Well, as a user of Virgin media I'm now locked out of all file sharing sites and all internet free video sites. It says this message

"Virgin Media has received an order from the High Court requiring us to prevent access to this site. For more information about the order and your rights - please click the relevant link below"

Well, I just love being free. Don't you. What next, what will they ban? Offensive content? Politically incorrect sites? How about 'dissident' sites?

a reply to: Joneselius

May I suggest using a VPN which will circumvent Virgins over intrusive court ordered policys.

a reply to: andy06shake

I use a vpn and I still get blocked by sky?

Is there a way around this?

a reply to: nonspecific

Im with Sky, I hardly even use my VPN. What are you trying to access?

Pm me If you don't want to post here.

originally posted by: Joneselius
a reply to: woodwardjnr

Well, as a user of Virgin media I'm now locked out of all file sharing sites and all internet free video sites. It says this message

"Virgin Media has received an order from the High Court requiring us to prevent access to this site. For more information about the order and your rights - please click the relevant link below"

Well, I just love being free. Don't you. What next, what will they ban? Offensive content? Politically incorrect sites? How about 'dissident' sites?

This is very interesting and a little too fast to be related to the FCC takeover here in the US. It shouldn't affect you anyway.

However, a major concern is the heretofore absent authority that the FCC had over private wireless communications. It will be very difficult to differentiate traffic so such administrative regulatory bleed is entirely possible.

originally posted by: andy06shake
a reply to: Joneselius

May I suggest using a VPN which will circumvent Virgins over intrusive court ordered policys.

It isn't clear exactly how the FCC is going to handle VPNs. If the regulatory agency is required to 'bless' the content type of a packet (not actually obviously but, by their guidelines), how could it possibly do that if it is secure?

Open can of worms...

a reply to: greencmp

Nothing is really secure these days. Anonymity simply does not exist especially so regarding our internet.

It has always been like that in the UK for the past 50 years. Whenever there is a telecommunications rollout, it's always "London first", then the other major cities, followed by the smaller towns and villages. The whole upgrade process takes a two decades or more. By the time the last village has been upgraded, London is onto the start of the next technology upgrade; Strowger to digital, digital to ISDN, ISDN to ADSL/DSL, ADLS/DSL to fibre-optic and 3G/4G.

Net neutrality is meant to allow any company from selling services or provide data across the internet. In the USA, the existing incumbents like Times Warner are tried to destroy net neutrality because they both produce and distribute movies and news channels. They see companies like Netflix and Youtube as rivals. In the UK, we have Virgin Media and Sky, and broadband complements the services that they offer.