What Net Neutrality Means for You

I am not the heaviest user of bandwidth.  I do not stream movies, but I do watch the occasional YouTube video.  I keep my phone on WiFi and download apps, though.  I know there are plenty of people who use much more bandwidth than I do but pay the same price for Internet access.  That being said, I am wholeheartedly in favor of net neutrality.  Internet Service Providers (ISPs) should not be able to charge based on bandwidth usage.  We already pay for the speed.  Heavy streamers probably already pay more for faster Internet anyway.  Also, people who just send email only need to purchase slower speeds.  No one should get charged twice in that respect.  Being in favor of net neutrality is being in favor of keeping the Internet free and open (Gargano, 2011).  ISPs should also not be able to discriminate against certain Web sites that take up much bandwidth, especially when there is a conflict of interest, such as AT&T limiting Skype VOIP bandwidth to try to gain more cell phone customers (Orr, 2010).  If ISPs can do this, the Internet will never be the same and innovation will be stifled.  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is against ISPs employing tiered, metered or highway (toll) plans to charge customers for usage (Orr, 2010).  Internet usage is not using a highway nor is it the same as using electricity.  A road only has so much capacity, and expansion usually cannot do more than be able to handle double the capacity.  Power plants can only generate so much electricity in so much time.  The Internet does have a total bandwidth limit, but it can continue to be expanded to a ridiculously high capacity.  I am not a high consumer of bandwidth and I support net neutrality.  Imagine if my business model depended on people using much bandwidth, such as YouTube, Netflix or Hulu.

References

Gargano, A.R. (2011). Net neutrality. Broadcast engineering, 53(2), 7.

[Net neutrality logo].  Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/mediashift/2011/12/wiretapping-sopa-occupy-2011-was-a-tumultuous-year-in-media-law357/

Orr, B. [CBS] (2010, December 22). What net neutrality means for you. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxz7PYlFvdI&feature=fvst

Geo-Mapping Technologies Help Target Sales Prospects

(York, 2012)

     The Hawaii Air National Guard has implemented a system known as geo-mapping to improve mission planning support. In this process, they will share the collected information to their Pacific Rim allies to leverage the Eagle Vision data (Telos to deliver... 2009). But it is not just the largest companies that keep an eye out over the entire country on where to take their business.  Small companies like The Tea Collection use geo-mapping software to decide the best locations across the nation to open their wholesale locations.  The company uses design software to come up with fabric designs and garment designs for children's clothes.  Their clothing fuses modern designs with fashion from cultures from all over the world.  The company was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Leigh Rawdon and seamstress Emily Meyer, with a vision to start a successful company.  Rawdon already had the mind of an entrepreneur when her father taught her to spell the word when she was in second grade.  Meyer began sewing at the age of three.

     The Tea Collection does not limit itself to the community in which they started.  Without being a national chain, they are able to have a few locations scattered in the best locations across the country.  Their geo-mapping software shows the locations with best demographics for them to have a business.  The software also shows which of those locations are not already saturated with children's clothing.  They can choose the best location for their place of business without even stepping foot in another state.  However, it would be wise to put boots on the ground (or just use Google Maps Street View) to see if a location is clearly visible from the road.

     As long as The Tea Collection chooses locations that are optimal for their business and economical to travel to, they should be able to conquer the challenge of their software program.  As long as the company continues to make money, they should continue using geo-mapping and design software to create more products for more markets all over the United States.  They need to find the best locations to sell their products, but when they open in all those locations, they need to make new products for the next best market available for them.

Telos to Deliver Secure, Geomapping Imagery Visualization Solution to Hawaii Air National Guard. (2009, October 6). Business Wire. Retrieved from http://db24.linccweb.org/login?url=http://go.galegroup.com.db24.linccweb.org/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA209093668&v=2.1&u=lincclin_spjc&it=r&p=ITOF&sw=w&asid=f156ce0b91de4b1aad685cdccf82ca56

York, J. (2012, June 13). FPU Class Finder Geo-Mapping. Retrieved from Lampo Licensing website: http://www.developwithpurpose.com/geo-mapping/