Video Cases 3 and 4

National Basketball Association:

Competing on Global Delivery With Akamai OS Streaming

Akamai is one of the leading providers of video service to the NBA and has facilities throughout the world. It is the most popular sport sight where 350 million streams were served to 200 countries.

The reason it is leading in its field is because it is one step ahead of its competitors in their innovation of technology. Their technology staff works together to improve every aspect of their business process so customers will be able to watch any game or video anytime of day or night. It has also partnered with the NBA, Lenovo and Haier to develop a next generation of tools to keep up with the demand of their customers. With merging technologies their competitors are unable to match the services they provide. Using their computers they can reduce the speed of their Internet service, tell which videos are the most popular and where they are seen so they can keep up with the demand.

Akamai has an unparalleled service in the most efficient matter.  Global audience fans can find what ever they want whenever they want it. Marketing partners are involved from broadband video, to 30-minute programs, to hosting sweepstakes to integrated content. With 25,000 servers and their complex algorithms system Internet problems won’t affect any of their customers, which makes the company one of the most reliable for Internet feed and customer satisfaction.

Net Neutrality: Neutral Networks Work

Net neutrality is the idea that Internet service providers have to allow users access to all applications and information regardless of the content and which provider they use. Internet providers, like all businesses have a responsibility to make money for their shareholders and believe they should have the ability to charge for their broadband usage. Network providers who come up with new technology to make their services faster and better want to charge for this service, just like any other business. With net neutrality innovation for new technology would be hampered.

The FCC does not have a clear policy regarding the infrastructure of the Internet, but has adopted a set of rules that makes certain there is open access to the Internet. Comcast used its broadband to slow down the transmission of BitTorrent, which is used mainly for illegal sharing of copyrighted materials and videos and piracy. In a court of appeals Comcast won and could operate their network how they wanted.

According to Lawrence Lessig, the FCC should regulate the contracts and relationships of Internet providers and use a zero discriminatory surcharge, which would allow the same price and the same speed for any Internet privilege. This would allow for greater competition and drive prices lower. The major Internet providers want to be able to charge for customers who use a large part of the bandwidth. The FCC wants to classify Internet broadband as a telecommunications service and enforce regulations like the ones used on telephone networks.

Net neutrality has both advantages and disadvantages for both the Internet providers and users. It can create less technological innovation and create greater competition.

References:

"A tangled web; Network neutrality." The Economist [US] 1 Jan. 2011: 11(US). Academic OneFile. Web. 26 Oct. 2012.

Laudon, Kenneth C & Laudon, Jane P. Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital Firm, Published by Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ

Lessig, Lawrence,Net Neutrality: Neutral Networks Work

Retrieved from: http://www.youtub.com/watch?v=_mYbYG-nXVA

National Basketball Association: Competing on Global Delivery With Akamai OS Streaming

Retrieved from: http://www.akamai.com/html/custmers/testimonial/nba.html

Woolley, S. (2007). Building The Infinite Internet. (cover story). Forbes, 179(9), 68-77.