Troll???
What??? Is this article a troll? A joke? Seriously, I couldn't even follow the "logic" in this. *checks the date* It isn't April 1st, is it? Is this "Prankers to the Wankers" day over there in England or something? Who the **** at El Reg let this article in???
First... I am not a fan of Google, but I can't stand by and let ignorance be spread amok.
To the uninformed...
Google is talking about hosting cache servers close to your house, so you don't have to go so far to get it. While you could say that the end result is that Google is paying an ISP to make their traffic faster (which is the most loose definition possible), it has jack **** to do with Net Neutrality.
Net Neutrality is all about ISPs deciding to purposely make Internet traffic slower than they could actually carry it - slowing down you, the end user. Then, charging companies a premium if they want their traffic given a speed boost. Analogy time: Imagine if the speed limit on the highway was reduced to 45, unless your company pays the state extra money, so their employees can drive 65 on their way to work (but only on their way to work). Maybe your favourite store might may this premium to the state so you can drive fast to go there. But most stores/homes/companies couldn't afford this fee - so you're hosed most of the time.
What Google is doing is what many companies do to a point. Google doesn't just host servers in California. They have caching Co-locations all over the world! They're already doing just this, as are most major companies! Hell, even small companies utilize geographically-dispersed co-los. They host huge expensive server caches all over the world in order to get closer to you, the end user. Most of these are strategically placed in major backbone areas. Now Google is suggesting hosting server cache farms right at your ISP... making content even closer to you. The costs for just the hardware are massive, let alone the costs they must pay for the co-location to the ISP.
Analogy time: It's like if your bank opened up a branch office on your block, so you don't have to drive so far. What the **** does it have to do with Net Neutrality???
"No fair, Google has more bandwidth than me, because they paid for more. They're violating Net Neutrality or something..."
This article is taken WAAAAAAY out of context and is flatly, totally ridiculous.
Yo author... you're doing it wrong.