We want to build an Open Internet option in Ann Arbor. Please complete our Survey to help.
What is this about?
We want to work together to provide an option for Open Internet in Ann Arbor.
What do you mean by ‘Open Internet’?
Open Internet means that your Internet provider will not decide which sites you’re able to access, or which of those sites have preferential access.
What brought all of this on?
The recent decision by the FCC allows Internet Service Providers (ISP) to prioritize or block sites however they see fit. That means that if they choose to they can prevent their customers from accessing a competitor’s service or even a news site they may disagree with.
So if you want to access Netflix, but your ISP would prefer you use their movie service they may choose to do any of the following:
- Block access to Netflix
- Degrade the performance of Netflix
- Charge you more money to access Netflix
- Charge Netflix more money for you to be able to access their service
If your ISP chooses, they may also prevent you from accessing trusted news sites. This gives them influence to further shape the public debate.
Where can I find out more information about Net Neutrality?
Okay, that sounds bad. What do you want to do about it?
We want to establish another Internet option in Ann Arbor so that people have a choice to use a service committed to the principals of Net Neutrality.
How are you going to do that?
We want to work together to come up with a solution.
One of the options we’re currently considering is setting up an Internet Cooperative. Most of us want reliable, high-speed Internet so we should pool our resources and get it for a better rate instead of paying money to companies that work against us.
To start, individuals who are committed to the project can establish uplinks to the Internet from their home via fiber optic or site-to-site wireless connections. They would then provide connectivity in their neighborhood via standard WiFi mesh. We want to acquire access to the Internet through companies that are also committed to the principals of Net Neutrality.
Sounds great, what next?
The next step is to determine where in the city there is the most interest in the project. You can help by filling out this survey. We also want to find people who are interested in helping with the project. We need people with various skillsets, so you do not have to be tech savvy to help!
Who can I contact if I have more questions?
Please email us at hello@OpenA2.org. We’d love to hear from you!