In America, net neutrality was abolished. But what does that actually mean? Does it have consequences for us gamers? We explain the situation.
While it circulates as a minor news item on many news sites, American users are storming the internet forums because the abolition of net neutrality has been decided. But what does that mean in plain language?
Net neutrality essentially means treating all data equally that a user can draw from the internet. Whether you are watching a video on YouTube, accessing a personal blog, or downloading a game via Steam, all data is treated equally.
The speed of the respective download is only determined by your own internet connection and the offered speed of the respective server where the data is stored. That is net neutrality: All data travel on the same lane. There is only one lane; there is no overtaking lane.
If net neutrality is abolished, there could be different lanes: slow and fast. That is the danger.
Why is net neutrality so important?
The internet is one of the most important inventions of humanity, enabling innovation and the exchange of opinions on a global scale.
The danger is that large sites and companies can afford “luxury rates” and thus become faster, while “smaller sites” cannot afford these rates and thus become slower. This could have significant disadvantages for smaller sites and forums, which then become less attractive to internet visitors as “second-class sites”.
But it could also become more expensive for gamers. Because without net neutrality, there would be no reason for internet providers to offer full performance for games. So anyone who wants to avoid high latency (ping) in games like WoW, Destiny 2, or PUBG might have to book an additional service with their internet provider.
Alternatively, internet providers could also make a deal with the large publishers. It could be that Blizzard has to pay Telekom every month so that WoW players have a good connection. These additional costs would surely be passed on to customers – the cost of a game would increase.
Smaller game developers, publishers, or website operators would fail under these costs. They are already fighting for survival on the internet. If their services can only be accessed at low speed, they fear it will have a negative impact on them.
What the abolition of net neutrality will lead to, we will see in the coming weeks and months using America as an example. A “free internet” will then only exist for those who can afford it. This applies to providers and users.
Net neutrality in Europe is also at risk
Net neutrality is also at risk in Germany. Various providers, like Telekom, are currently trying to establish services like “StreamOn”, where the use of selected services is not deducted from the customer’s data volume. This automatically makes all other video platforms less attractive.
The big corporations are trying to undermine net neutrality to gain advantages: Especially streaming services require a lot and fast traffic. Here, the providers’ interest is high to treat their customers preferentially. Otherwise, such “luxury rates” would be attractive for providers as they give them an advantage.
Most internet providers cite the existing net neutrality as a reason not to push forward the expansion of the lines – because if they invest in it, they want to market the use of the lines more strongly and specifically.
Or to put it a bit darker: The abolition of net neutrality would put the internet in the hands of large corporations and cut down “our beautiful internet” with all its diversity.
