Is Verizon big enough to buy the law it wants as it opposes net neutrality and NFC consumer protection

Verizon opposes net neutrality, what does that mean for NFC?

Fair minded and “open ecosystem” friendly Verizon has decided it shouldn’t have to follow Net Neutrality rules, and so they have mounted an appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit of the Federal Communications Commission’s December 2010 Report and Order (FCC 10-201). We can’t say we didn’t see this coming, and Big Red didn’t fail to disappoint when filing its appeal. Verizon refers to the FCC’s mandate to protect consumers and businesses from telecom providers and internet service providers from prioritizing traffic, allowing some, disallowing other traffic and charging others for access. Make no mistake – NFC is in danger of being abused.

Should Verizon be successful in breaking any type of Net Neutrality influence and regulation of mobile network operators or telecom providers, it leaves it free to control NFC payments on its network as it chooses despite what is in consumers’ best interests. Net Neutrality was regulated for a reason, and that reason was to protect consumers and businesses from being gauged and controlled by mobile network operators. It now appears that Verizon could be too powerful to have to obey laws, and furthermore, may have the power to change laws as it pleases.

NFC payments currently have no consumer protection laws. MNOs look set to exploit this and if Net Neutrality can be overturned, NFC payments could be limited to MNO network providers only.

The Net Neutrality and Verizon and how it threatens consumers’ rights with NFC payments

We at NFC Rumors have been quite vocal opponents of how MNOs have conducted themselves as they prepare to circumvent consumers’ rights with their Isis project. In fact, we have even attracted comments that suggest we are being paid by competitors which only re-enforces that we are upsetting the people who in closed office meetings are intending to bring a system that controls consumers’ finances, payments and privacy under the guise of a NFC payments network. NFC payments are about consumers being able to conduct payments in a frictionless matter, but if Verizon wins its court case, it will be up to your MNO which NFC tags are scanned and acted on.

Our question is why would Verizon oppose Net Neutrality? Why could Verizon think it is a good idea to have consumers unprotected from having freedom of traffic, services they can use and selective data prioritization. Verizon called the FCC’s regulation “so-called Net Neutrality” in the press release it sent out to the media on Friday. If you want to know the truth about Net Neutrality, please Google the subject and you will find it is a consumer movement to protect consumers against powerful networks who intend to limit personal rights.

What is Net Neutrality and how does it affect NFC payments and NFC traffic on Isis controlled mobile network operators?

Okay, so by now you get that here at NFC Rumors we think there is something very wrong with Isis, the lack of Net Neutrality and fear that consumer rights are being negated. You will probably also get the impression that we fear what Isis represents to NFC. But there again we could just be a bunch of crazies that are opposed to any company making a profit. Let us assure you, we are not crazy – we like businesses doing well and providing jobs to people. But when consumers, and therefore people’s rights, get watered down because big corporations have the potential power to buy the law that suits them and their shareholders, something needs to be said and something needs to be done. This is especially important now as we rush towards a cashless society where, as it stands today, consumers’ rights are at risk. So, you have heard how we feel your rights are at risk with Verizon challenging Net Neutrality, but what is this strange concept we speak of?

Wikipedia:

Network Neutrality (also Net Neutrality, Internet Neutrality) is a principle that advocates no restrictions by internet service providers or governments on consumers’ access to networks that participate in the internet. Specifically, Network Neutrality would prevent restrictions on content, sites, platforms, types of equipment that may be attached, and modes of communication.

Google:

Network neutrality is the principle that internet users should be in control of what content they view and what applications they use on the internet. The internet has operated according to this neutrality principle since its earliest days. Fundamentally, Net Neutrality is about equal access to the internet. In our view, the broadband carriers should not be permitted to use their market power to discriminate against competing applications or content. Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online.

SaveTheInternet:

So, now you have seen multiple definitions of Net Neutrality – why would Verizon want to get rid of it? Is it for consumers? Is it for NFC? Is it for their specific customers? Unfortunately, the answer is that it is for Verizon and its shareholders. If Verizon was prepared with its cohorts, AT&T and T-Mobile, to compete in the open market, NFC Rumors would have no issue with them. NFC is an open standard that can benefit everyone on this planet, but it is being attacked by NFC MNO stakeholders who wish to degrade consumers’ rights. If you need more proof of that, please check out our last post on AT&T and what they have just done to the Samsung Galaxy S II on their network. NFC is at risk of being harmed by those who want to use it as a control mechanism for profits. Profit is fine in an open market, but profit through inhibiting choice is not and it will degradate consumers’ choices and NFC adoption.

Is NFC payments at risk of becoming a control mechanism of Verizon and Isis members?

NFC Rumors wants to see a truly open ecosystem that creates jobs and benefits consumers while protecting the individual’s rights. We will never accept that Isis and its associated partners can funnel consumers into its system where they do not even have the right to choose which NFC payment service they use. NFC is in danger, adoption is being hampered, and if it is allowed to go ahead on three of the four networks as planned in the United States, consumers’ right to free speech, choice of who they do business with and many more rights go out the window. So, in your own language Verizon, we suggest you take your “so-called” Net Neutrality appeal and bury it for your consumers. Your shareholders will get over it. Our question for our readers is – do you think Verizon is too big and powerful for the law of the United States, and do they need to be regulated to protect consumer rights?

What keeps us up at night is what happens if Verizon is beyond the law and wins its appeal to Net Neutrality. What does that mean for NFC, consumers and customers on the network then? Because you know other MNOs will follow suit after they see an opportunity to negate customers’ rights. We want to hear in the comments below whether you are concerned about this latest move of Verizon’s. Does it effect how soon you will adopt NFC? Do you agree or completely disagree with the threat Verizon and other Isis members represent to NFC?