Dan McCourt of Berkley's McCourt's Musical Instruments sees the issue of net neutrality like teams changing sides during a football game.
As he sees it, without net neutrality, one team gets the best field advantage all the time.
"It would be kind of like whoever pays the most has the ball," he said, "which would be very detrimental to a little guy like me."
Network neutrality, or net neutrality, is a clause added to communications legislation that has passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is awaiting a Senate vote. The clause would prohibit Internet service providers from charging companies additional fees for faster Web site loading.
Without net neutrality, Internet service providers could charge extra to make a Web site load faster, thus slowing down other Web sites that do not pay.
Right now, there are two amendments to the original bill. One has the net neutrality clause, and one doesn't.
David Pettit, a public interest associate for the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan (PIRGIM) located in Ann Arbor, said without net neutrality the business world will create a two-tiered Internet.
"Large corporations will have quick access," he said, which would leave smaller businesses "in the slow lane."
Pettit said his group became aware of the amended bills and expected a Senate vote in September, but with national campaigning, gathered enough petition signatures to slow it down.
LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES SUPPORT
McCourt, owner of a Berkley music store, supports the concept of net neutrality.
At first glance, he said, under a free market it seems unnecessary.
"The business world is the business world," he said.
But under scrutiny, he realized how it could disadvantage small business owners if telecommunications companies charged for speedier Web site loading.
"We do need to level that playing field," he said. "There's a reason we change sides on a football field every quarter; that's to give everyone the same advantages with the wind and the slights of sun or whatever it may be," he said.
Huntington Woods Mayor Pro-tem Jeffrey Jenks runs a travel business from his home. And he supports network neutrality, as a small business man and technophile.
His house is wired "top to bottom" with different technologies, like broadband phone service, instant messaging clients, along with high-speed Internet. Jenks says the net neutrality argument is not just about losing faster Web site access.
Jenks, whose travel business specializes in flights to Asia, rarely sees his customers in person. He calls them using Vonage, a broadband telephone service, and pays about $25 per month, a flat rate. He can make phone calls to five European countries, the United States and Canada anytime with no extra charges.
"The minute they move off of net neutrality, they (telecommunications companies) will say, (in theory) 'We want to give preferences to certain businesses,'" he said.
Without net neutrality, Jenks believes other technologies competing with the telecommunications companies will be forced out of the marketplace. For example, Vonage could be charged additional fees, making his price higher and a less worthwhile service for his business.
"Without network neutrality, it's basically going to screw small business people. And it's going to reduce competition," he said. "Network neutrality seems like a no-brainer."
WHERE THE POLITICIANS STAND
U.S. Sens. Olympia Snow (R-Maine) and Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) introduced the amended House Bill 5252, with the net neutrality clause.
So far, according to www.savetheinternet.com [1], a coalition in favor of net neutrality, there are 28 senators for the legislation, 14 against, five wafflers and 53 unknowns.
In Michigan, Democratic U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin are among the unknowns.
Stabenow's Communications Director Angela Benander released this statement on Stabenow's position on net neutrality:
"Sen. Stabenow understands that the Internet has been a catalyst for free expression, innovation and economic opportunity that has benefited countless Americans. She will review any legislation that comes before her to ensure that the Internet remains accessible to consumers."
Spokesman Dave Pollock said Levin does support the amended bill in favor of net neutrality.
WHO'S FOR IT, WHO'S AGAINST IT
The coalition in favor of net neutrality spans a diverse group, from tech companies like Yahoo and Google, to political action groups like MoveOn.org, to religious conservatives like the Christian Coalition of America.
Opponents of net neutrality include telecommunications companies like Comcast, AT&T, Verizon and Time-Warner, who are the biggest lobbiers against it.
Comcast released this statement on net neutrality:
"Comcast and other cable providers have not, and will not, block the ability of their high-speed Internet service customers to access any lawful content, application or services available over the public Internet. Our customers enjoy unfettered access to all the content, services and applications that the Internet has to offer. Network neutrality is a solution in search of a problem."
The company's spokesperson, Sena Fitzmaurice, senior director of communications, said Comcast was only prepared to release a statement, and would not consent to an interview.
WHAT THE CONSUMER SAYS
Ultimately, the net neutrality battle boils down to the consumer.
In Ferndale, 30-year-old Adam Geffen, who works as a software engineer, studies law at Wayne State University, and has read the bill that includes net neutrality, says he's most definitely for it.
"My primary concern is that large corporations will build walls around ... data and limit the way customers can get access to the Internet," he said.
Hanging out at Xhedos Cafe, a coffee house on Nine Mile in Ferndale, was Sherry Lange, a 24-year-old Oakland Community College student and Hazel Park resident.
Lange was not aware of the issue.
But she boiled it down to the average consumer and biggest concern of net neutrality proponents if some Web sites move faster than others.
"I'll definitely move (to another Web site) if I get impatient," she said.
To contact Stabenow, e-mail senator@stabenow.senate.gov [2] or call her offices (202) 224-4822 or (313) 961-4330. To contact Levin, fill out a Web form at www.senate.gov/~levin/contact/index.cfm [3] or call (313) 226-6020 or (202) 224-6221.
(248) 901-2571 | mrwood@hometownlife.com