More on Internet extortion.. oops I mean content charges.

BellSouth is moving forward on charging content providers extra so that their stuff gets speedily through the next check point. One has to wonder what exactly the content providers are paying for when they pay their monthly ISP charges. They get billed HUGE sums, as they already get charged extra for their 'traffic'.

It's not like other western countries are having similar problems... their not.

Slip em another benjamin.


I can see this argument unfold.

Dear Blizzard customer service man, my connection to Warcraft is terrible, can you help me?

Blizzard: Talk to your ISP, its not on our end.

Dear SBC customer service man, my connection to Blizzard servers is terrible, can you help me?

SBC: Blizzard has not paid the content charge that we demand of them, until they do, your connection will continue to stink.

Dear SBC: Um what exactly am I paying for on a monthly basis?

SBC: There is nothing we can do, talk to Blizzard.

Dear Blizzard: Um... SBC wants more money?!?

Blizzard: We can't pay their content charges and remain competitive. Or we would have to charge you more for the service and then they would want more and then... you get the idea.

Dear SBC: I pay $50 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! a month for GOOD service... I cancel. [SBC loses $50 a month]

Dear Blizzard: I can't play so... no $15 a month for you. I cancel. [Blizzard loses $15 a month]

Who wins? NO ONE. Content charges are anti-competitive.