Verizon is about to ruin the Internet [telecom]

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by Brad Reed, BGR

One thing that's traditionally been great about the Internet is the way anyone with a great idea and good business sense can launch an app or a service that can disrupt incumbent businesses practically overnight. This model has served us well over the years but Verizon doesn't think it's good enough anymore since it's not making Verizon enough money. As Re/code reports, Verizon is going to start rolling out its own "sponsored data" program next year in which companies can pay money to have their data not count against customers' monthly data limits.

To be clear, AT&T was the first mobile carrier to pioneer this type of pricing scheme but so far it hasn't done much to actually push it. From Re/code's report, it sounds like Verizon is going to get much more aggressive about getting companies to pony up in exchange for having their traffic zero rated.