Whose bandwidth is being given away?

Please note that this post is from 2008. Evaluate with care and in light of later events.

NetworkWorld.com Community – Whose bandwidth is being given away? :

But it’s on the point of ISP terms of service that I believe Schneier’s case falls. First, he expresses no concern whatsoever about others stealing his bandwidth from his open network — “pay it forward,” he suggests.

But bandwidth isn’t the only issue here, at least not from the ISP’s standpoint; it’s lost revenue. The reason ISP terms of service forbid customers from sharing bandwidth with neighbors is as much or more about the provider’s need to turn a buck as it is the finite nature of the product.

A big question here is: who’s bandwidth is being shared? The subscriber or the ISP’s? That puts it in “either-or” terms, of course, when really it isn’t so clear cut. Arguments cut both ways.

See also:

• Steal This Wi-Fi
• Is it OK to Share My WiFi? (Series)
• Why Provide Free WiFi?