What if Internet providers manipulate data connections as they please? Indeed, some argue that Internet connections are like any other service offering in the marketplace. Thus, it would be possible to regulate the funding of connections based on the content of end-user websites that clients visit.

This idea is not new; several providers in the Czech Republic challenged a similar idea many years ago. The idea was to provide access only to certain types of websites, e.g. social networks, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, for a basic fee. To have full access to other sites, one would have to pay an additional fee. For example, regulations could be phased in, news sites could be given preferential treatment over others, and some sources could be lobbied to be included in a “catalog of deals packages. For example, higher surcharges could be applied to music and movie download channels and video streaming.
However, there is only a small step, an invisible thin legal line between legalization and censorshipthat permits regulation of Web content. Some websites are disliked by some people, and providers may simply not let you in.

What is the current state of telecom companies?

Several major telecom companies are pushing forward with plans to launch 5G networks. They aim to cover at least one major metropolitan area in an EU member state with a 5G network by the end of 2020 . They are trying to intrigue EU lawmakers because this new infrastructure is very labor-intensive and could bring jobs to thousands of people and the development of new technologies, but the other side of the coin is the destruction of net neutrality.

The statement from some telecom companies is clear: if the EU continues to support net neutrality,they have no intention of investing in the development of 5G networks.