They should be free to build their own network for private use (so that it would be much like getting two separate signals for cable and Internet), but there’s no reason why this desire has to get mixed up with the Internet. When seen this way, there really would be no “free rider” problem because only their own content would be allowed through this separate network. When customers start complaining that the regular Internet speeds are too slow–then maybe things will open up.

I’ve been thinking about this more and more lately and am still not sure which way it should go.

On the one hand, anyone should be able to build their own private network and charge as they see fit (much like my private home network). But the point is that this separate network is not the Internet. Perhaps, again like my network, there is communication between it and the Internet, but without end-to-end it cannot be considered the internet.

On the other hand, this interconnection could have the effect of diluting this principle, and even one day come to be considered to be the Internet (as though the Net were a brand). I am beginning to think that this possibility may outweigh my claim in the above post, unless there were great efforts to keep the networks separate (which would not be likely).