Networking

The long-running saga on the outage suffered by Basslink in December 2015 reached a form of conclusion this week, with a trio of arbitration processes being finalised this week.
The results were not favourable to Basslink, with the Tasmanian government and Hydro Tasmania carrying the day, and Basslink looking down the barrel of AU$38.5 million in damages, and having its AU$31 million claim against Hydro Tasmania dismissed. The arbitrator further determined that the outage was not due to a force majeure event.
Basslink said it would now consider its next steps.
“We are obviously extremely disappointed with the outcomes,” Basslink chief Malcolm Eccles said.
“We will need some time to review the decisions and consider the implications. In the meantime, Basslink continues to operate efficiently and reliably, connecting Tasmania to the national electricity market.”
In March 2018, the Tasmanian government sought AU$122 million in compensation due to the Basslink cable to the mainland, which carries electricity and data, being down for six months.
The outage began in December 2015, with Basslink finally completing its cable jointing repairs in June 2016 following months-long delays due to excess water damage and inclement weather.

The outage had lasted so long that the Tasmanian government got involved, with then-Minister for Information Technology and Innovation Michael Ferguson also reprimanding TPG for not buying additional capacity on Telstra’s alternate cables during the outage.
Basslink and the government then engaged in a war of duelling reports, with the government-owned Hydro Tasmania saying the outage was caused by the operating limits of the cable being exceeded, while a Basslink report put forward the now-dismissed claim it was a result of a force majeure event.
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Over the last decade and a half, networking vendors have been using various methods to bundle wired, wireless, voice over IP, and security products into a solution sale. These companies tried various combinations of routers, WAN optimization, security, Wi-Fi, switching, and voice over IP (VoIP). No single hardware product had all the services, but most provided three or more: Cisco’s ISR routers combine security, routing, and WAN optimization capabilities, and HPE’s FlexBranch integrates routing, switching, security, wireless LAN, and VoIP services. 

remote work

Most of the vendors will highlight the efficiency benefits of a single appliance, but this messaging is self-serving. Their goal is to increase their footprint and revenue per transaction. There’s nothing wrong with this, as it’s a common “steak and potatoes” business strategy. However, the concept hasn’t been much of a moneymaker for vendors, because vendors struggled to: 

Create a product portfolio to match the market. Remote offices can be quick-service restaurants, sales offices, manufacturing sites, acute care centers, and stadiums, to name a few. The networking and security services can vary significantly between sites. The resilience and security needs of an acute care center are significantly higher than a quick-service restaurant. The price, fit, form, and function of the products will vary dramatically, too. Frankly, vendors don’t have the resources to put all the hardware variations on the price list and still be profitable. 

Create secondary services that matched performance or richness of best-in-breed services. ROBO boxes deliver a lot of features, but they’re ultimately subject to compromises on factors like buffer size, ASICs, ports, and tables. This means vendors have to make sacrifices. Riverbed Technology, Silver Peak Systems, and others captured this opportunity when it came to WAN optimization versus traditional routing and switching vendors that tried to integrate WAN opt into a router. 

The networking industry is back to its old tricks using a new product — SD-WAN — to push the integrated service story. I highlighted this in another blog post: Six Aspects To Palo Alto’s Acquisition Of CloudGenix. SD-WAN, for all intents and purposes, was just a repacking of routing and some WAN opt capabilities. SD-WAN simplified performance-based routing like Apple’s first iPhone did to mobile phones. The central, easy-to-use systems make setting up features like load balancing, best path, and active-active much easier. CloudGenix, VeloCloud, and Viptela were savvy to highlight cost benefits of using generic internet — and, in theory, getting rid of MPLS (multiprotocol label switching). Most of that is just a red herring. New research from Forrester digs into the real SD-WAN benefits. 
While the market exploded with the excitement of easily creating WAN fabrics, many companies struggled to deal with security challenges exposed by WAN fabrics, cloud, SD-WAN, and remote site internet links. Then came the idea of integrating security services into SD-WAN. This resurrected the whole ROBO feature compromise. Security, WAN opt, and routing vendors have been coming from different directions to build an integrated set of services that looks similar to what they proposed years ago. And marketing messages are the same. 
What I find interesting is that all the open, disaggregated, switching white-box pundits have been awfully quiet in this round. Where’s the fear about vendor lock-in? That’s another blog, and I’m not suggesting that as the right path since the cost benefits aren’t there. 
Instead, learn from the giant cloud providers that harness virtual network functions (VNFs), spin up services as needed, and service-chain them together. Enterprise teams have even more service options when they include cloud-based networking and security services. Technology teams can include those with VNFs and create a dynamic, flexible networking infrastructure with security in its DNA. These technology teams will have a larger pool of resources to use and not be forced into a single vendor play.  
This approach isn’t easy like most of today’s SD-WAN “buy and implement” offerings, but many SD-WAN solutions come with little long-term benefit. The automated, orchestrated service-chaining approach requires a long-term investment and will take some fundamental changes to the skills, process, procedures, and metrics. This approach will require a business-wide investment into networking automation and orchestration, which most organizations have barely started.  

As always, I am happy to help you with the planning and execution of your networking strategy. To understand the other business and technology trends critical to 2021, download Forrester’s complimentary 2021 Predictions Guide here.      
This post was written by Principal Analyst Andre Kindness, and it originally appeared here.  More

Our last show discussed the various companies and products that earned a Tech Turkey award, and there were some doozies. Now it’s time to talk about what are, in our opinion, the top tech products or innovations in 2020. 
Here are five products that stood out to Jason Cipriani and me this year. 

(Image: Linksys)
Jason Cipriani: This is kind of like 5G, where not everyone or every device is going to be able to take advantage of it. I only started using Wi-Fi 6 in the last few weeks with the most recent Velop Mesh system. It’s blown me away. For example, on the iPhone 12, it’s not unheard of for me to get 700+ Mbps in speed tests. The problem right now is that most tech we have in our homes doesn’t use Wi-Fi 6, so the incentive to go out and upgrade today isn’t there. However, the availability of both Wi-Fi 6 devices and Wi-F i6 routers has significantly expanded this year and will have a big impact on the home office, remote learning, etc., over the next year. 
Jason Perlow: The speed of Wi-Fi 6, which is also referred to as 802.11ax, is not the only significant advancement of the new high-speed wireless networking standard. It’s also security, in the form of WPA3, which is a requirement of all Wi-Fi 6 equipment when they are certified. WPA3 is a major improvement over WPA2 in current routers because it uses a new authentication mechanism, known as SAE or Simultaneous Authentication of Equals to replace the PSK or Pre-Shared-Key in WPA2, which is a much more secure key exchange method. It makes it much more difficult for an attacker to record the session’s encrypted transmission and then play it back offline to attempt to crack it. Some existing Wi-Fi5/802.11ac routers support WPA3 experimentally now, so if you can turn it on and you have products that support it, such as any iOS 13 or iOS 14, or any Android later than 10 or even Windows 10 2004, you can use that protocol.
Our pick for the best Wi-Fi 6 router this year is the Linksys Velop MX12600 mesh system. Amazon’s Eero Pro 6, looks promising as well, pending further review.
$700 at Crutchfield $700 at Walmart $700 at Best Buy

(Image: Samsung)
Jason Cipriani: Perhaps a surprise entry, but I think the Fold 2 deserves a spot because Samsung took the original fold — a device Samsung had to pull from stores a few days before launch — reworked it, got it in good enough shape to release, and then kept iterating. At the time, I said it should have just canceled the phone, gone back to the drawing board, and tried again when the tech was ready. But Samsung proved me wrong, releasing the Z Fold 2 this year, with an improved experience overall. I think most of, if not all, reviews were very positive.
Foldable phones are indeed in our future, and Samsung is currently leading the way. 
Jason Perlow: So I am not a folding phone user yet because these things are just too darned expensive right now. However, I think Samsung is making some critical innovations in the space. It looks like Samsung managed to address most of the previous model’s issues, including any performance and usability compromises it had. It is making progress, and for that, it should be recognized.
$2,000 at Amazon $2,000 at Best Buy $2,000 at Best Buy

(Image: Google)
Jason Cipriani: Google finally got TV right. A Chromecast device with an easy to understand UI and a remote for $50… enough said. 
Jason Perlow: Look, to be honest, I was skeptical of Google being able to release a decent streaming set-top box, especially when you see how strong Roku, Amazon, and even Apple is in that space. Honestly, I wanted not to like it. But not only did I like it, I liked it even better than Amazon’s comparable offering this year, which was slower, had less memory, just didn’t have as slick an interface. So, now, I’m using it as my only streaming box in my living room. The only downside right now is the lack of Apple TV+ support, but I suspect that will be addressed at some point. The product is an excellent value for what it is if you are looking for a streaming device that supports just about all of the major services. And, as I discovered recently, you can even pair it with Bluetooth devices, such as headphones, so you don’t wake up your family late at night when you’re binging your favorite show.
$50 at Best Buy $50 at Adorama $60 at HSN

(Image: Jason Cipriani/ZDNet)
Jason Cipriani: The way I review phones has changed a lot over the years, but that’s because phones changed. There used to be a big focus on camera capabilities once phones started to get good enough to replace most point and shoot cameras. Then, the competition kind of leveled off, and it was almost a given that a camera on a flagship phone was going to impress. Each release is more impressive than the last, but only incrementally for those who look closely. With the 12 Pro Max, and to that extent, the 12 Pro, the camera is a giant leap forward. I took it out the other day to take photos for our Christmas cards, and I honestly don’t think I’ll ever take out my expensive camera again. It was much easier to hold up the phone, snap a couple of photos, and not have to think about adjusting ISO or shutter speed. Tap on the screen to change focus, hit the shutter button, and enjoy. 
Jason Perlow: So, look, Apple has been ahead of the game with its iPhone cameras since last year’s 11 Pro Max; it completely blew away anything Samsung or Google had. The only vendor it was on par or possibly even behind was Huawei, and frankly, it isn’t even in the picture right now. So, it’s safe to say, if you are someone where photography is paramount for you in a mobile device, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is your only logical choice. What the company is doing with its microprocessors and machine learning is astounding for machine learning. Which brings us to…
$1,099 at Amazon $1,100 at Best Buy

(Image: Apple)
Jason Cipriani: Apple had a tremendous year. Seriously, we saw more innovation out of Apple this year than we have in the last couple of years — possibly combined. The ability to pull off a processor switch, where the underlying architecture is entirely different, and making it almost seamless for developers still blows my mind. 
I think about the approach Microsoft is taking with the Surface Pro X, easing into the ARM switch in public, through a beta… and then I look at what Apple did, making the entire transition behind closed doors and releasing it on day one, ready to go. Man, it’s impressive. Everyone else in the computer industry is so far behind right now. 
Jason Perlow: I don’t know where to begin with how amazed I am by this thing. I hate to start playing Apple word bingo, but that chip is astounding and magical. Cupertino put a tremendous amount of resources into it. Apple was able to take a processor architecture that was once only reserved for low power, mobile devices, and smartphone-types of application workloads and transform it into the future of desktop computing. 
Everyone needs to notice this because we all thought it would take a long time before Arm chips were on parity with Intel. We have seen with this hybrid SoC architecture from Apple a much more optimized chip for modern workloads. It is much more efficient with memory and power use and can run apps not only just as fast as Intel, but run them even faster depending on what they are and how the code is built. The open-source machine learning benchmarks on the chip using TensorFlow are off the scale, and even Arm Windows virtualized and emulated runs faster than what Microsoft’s Surface Pro X can do with the Qualcomm SQ2 chip. 
Hopefully, the success of the M1 encourages processor designers such as Nvidia, which now owns Arm, to create other Arm-based desktop-grade processors that are licensable. And, potentially, there are also RISC designs such as OpenPower and RISC-V that are open source that pave the way for future non-Intel chips in the datacenter or even on the desktop, too.
This year, our choice for the best Mac for the money is, without doubt, the 2020 M1 Mac Mini.
$670 at Amazon $700 at Best Buy $699 at Adorama

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The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has registered a set of rules developed by the Communications Alliance that will force Australian telcos to detect, trace, and block spam calls.
The rules apply not just to calls originating on a telco’s network, but also those transiting the network.
“Where scam calls are confirmed, [carriers] must as soon as practicable take action to block the scam calls being originated and/or carried over their network,” the code states.
Under the code, carriers are required to look for characteristics of scam calls, share information with other telcos and regulators, block numbers being used for scams including those from overseas, and take measures to combat number spoofing.
ACMA said over 30 million scam calls were blocked in the last year as telcos undertook trials to combat internationally inbound scams, ATO impersonation scams, and wangiri one ring and drop scams that trick users into calling a premium line when they return a missed call.
“The code is a unique and ground-breaking contribution to global regulatory efforts to prevent the harms caused by scammers. It is a holistic, end-to-end framework for effective scam reduction activity,” chair of ACMA’s scam telecommunications action taskforce Fiona Cameron said.
“There is no silver bullet to reduce scams, but these new rules place clear obligations on industry to do more to protect their customers and build confidence that it’s safe to answer a ringing phone.”

The code will apply to calls in the traditional sense and do not cater to those delivered via over-the-top services. After two years, the code will be reviewed, with further reviews to be pencilled in for five-year intervals unless “significant developments” force an earlier review.
In September, Telstra announced it was piloting a program to block fake messages claiming to be from myGov or Centrelink.
Telstra CEO Andy Penn told ZDNet at the time that the program has completed its proof-of-concept stage and would be fully rolled out across its network by the end of the year.
If the pilot is successful, it would then be rolled out to other Australian telcos, Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds told ZDNet.
“This is a national problem that requires a truly collaborative national approach,” she said.
ACMA unveiled its plan to crack down on scams in November last year.
Earlier in the week, ACMA and Comms Alliance opened a consultation period on allowing a pair of determinations made by the regulator in relation to premium mobile services to sunset on April 1. The consultation period was opened on the proviso that the industry makes a variation to the relevant code to allow customers to bar all premium services, and not to charge a fee for that action.
Submissions are due by January 17.
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If finding the best VPN for your needs was a simple matter of comparing prices and features, this guide would not be essential reading. The fact is you won’t find the right VPN without first understanding how a VPN service accomplishes its primary mission: keeping you safe online.
Fundamentally, most VPNs (virtual private network) provide two services: Encrypting your data between two points and hiding the IP address (from which a general location can be derived) where you’re located. For those traveling or out and about, the first function was critical because most Wi-Fi available publicly is unencrypted — so anyone on the network could see what you were sending. 

But VPNs also serve to hide your IP address, replacing the address logged on servers with one in a completely different location — even a different country. For those worrying about stalking or other threats, this feature could save lives. Most consumers, though, find streaming VPN features compelling because — in some cases, and with dubious legality — it allows them to spoof their region of origin to get access to streaming media and sports blacked out from their home locale.
There is no doubt that you should use a VPN service provider when you’re using public Wi-Fi when away from home. But what about when you’re at home? Should you use a VPN then?
My general advice is that it’s not critical for most people at home, since your ISP rarely wants to look at your traffic. But if you live in an apartment with a bunch of curious roommates all sharing one router, a VPN might prove valuable. If you’re connecting to work and want to make sure you’re taking all the precautions you can (and if your employer hasn’t given you a corporate VPN to use) a VPN service would be useful. If you’re connecting to websites that log connection information and you don’t want to leave tracks where you are (especially where your home is), you might want to use a VPN. You get the idea: If you want extra protection at home, then a VPN isn’t a bad idea.
Now, let’s be clear. Using a VPN does add a bit of a load on your computer and can often slow down your connection. That’s because your data is encrypted, decrypted, and sent through intermediate servers. Game responsiveness might suffer. If you’re a first-person shooter player, you might have enough lag to lose the shot. That said, both computers and VPNs have gotten a lot faster. When I first used a VPN, every… thing…slowed… down… to… an… unbearable… c-r-a-w-l. But now, the negative impact is almost unnoticeable, and at least one service we spotlight below (Hotspot Shield) actually increased performance, making it one of the fastest VPNs we’ve seen.
Also, most (but not all!) of the providers we spotlight limit the number of devices you can connect simultaneously, so you may have to pick and choose which home devices connect through a VPN.

Also: Why even the best free VPNs are not a risk worth taking
We’re also spotlighting paid services in this article, although some of them offer a free tier. I generally don’t recommend free VPN services because I don’t consider them secure. Think about this: Running a VPN service requires hundreds of servers across the world and a ton of networking resources. It’s boo-coo expensive. If you’re not paying to support that infrastructure, who is? Probably advertisers or data miners. If you use a free service, your data or your eyeballs will probably be sold, and that’s never a good thing. After all, you’re using a VPN so your data remains secure. You wouldn’t want to then have all that data go to some company to sift through — it completely defeats the purpose.
Before we jump into our cornucopia of VPN services, I want to make it clear that no one tool can guarantee your privacy. First, anything can be hacked. But more to the point, a VPN protects your data from your computer to the VPN service. It doesn’t protect what you put on servers. It doesn’t protect your data from the VPN provider’s VPN servers to whatever site or cloud-based application you’re using. It doesn’t give you good passwords or multifactor authentication. Privacy and security require you to be diligent throughout your digital journey, and VPNs, while quite helpful, are not a miracle cure.
In this article, we look at a bunch of our favorite VPN solutions. We’ll cover many of the best VPN service providers, how to access the native VPNs built into your desktop machine, and even how to use your NAS as a VPN client and host. If you’re curious about VPNs, you can learn a lot more in our massive VPN FAQ.
We’ll also dig back into what makes the best VPNs tick and answer some more of your questions at the end of this article, so read on. But first, our picks for the best VPNs of 2020.
Best VPN providers
If you’re curious about how VPNs work or what a VPN provider can do for you, here’s a great VPN overview article. Now that you understand how a VPN service can help keep you safe, let’s kick it off with our list of recommended service providers.

A top-rated VPN provider
Photo by Christian Englmeier on Unsplash
Simultaneous Connections: 5
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: A whole lot
Logging: No browsing logs, some connection logs
Countries: 94
Locations: 160
Trial/MBG: 30 days
ExpressVPN is one of the most popular VPN providers out there, offering a wide range of platforms and protocols. Platforms include Windows, Mac, Linux, routers, iOS, Android, Chromebook, Kindle Fire, and even the Nook device. There are also browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. Plus, ExpressVPN works with PlayStation, Apple TV, Xbox, Amazon Fire TV, and the Nintendo Switch. There’s even a manual setup option for Chromecast, Roku, and Nvidia Switch.
Also: ExpressVPN review: A VPN speed leader with a secure reputation
With 160 server locations in 94 countries, ExpressVPN has a considerable VPN network across the internet. In CNET’sreview of the service, staff writer Rae Hodge reported that ExpressVPN lost less than 2% of performance with the VPN enabled and using the OpenVPN protocol vs. a direct connection.
While the company does not log browsing history or traffic destinations, it does log dates connected to the VPN service, amount transferred, and VPN server location. We do want to give ExpressVPN kudos for making this information very clear and easily accessible.
View Now at ExpressVPN

Leak-free and unlimited connections
Photo by David Clode on Unsplash
Simultaneous Connections: Unlimited
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, Fire TV, Firefox, Chrome
Logging: None, except billing data
Trial/MBG: 30 day
At two bucks a month for a two-year plan (billed in one chunk), Surfshark offers a good price for a solid offering. In CNET’s testing, no leaks were found (and given that much bigger names leaked connection information, that’s a big win). The company seems to have a very strong security focus, offering AES-256-GCM, RSA-2048, and Perfect Forward Secrecy encryption. To prevent WebRTC leaks, Surfshark offers a special purpose browser plugin designed specifically to combat those leaks.
Also: Surfshark VPN review: A feature-rich service with blazing speeds and a security focus
Surfshark’s performance was higher than NordVPN and Norton Secure VPN, but lower than ExpressVPN and IPVanish. That said, Surfshark also offers a multihop option that allows you to route connections through two VPN servers across the Surfshark private network. We also like that the company offers some inexpensive add-on features, including ad-blocking, anti-tracking, access to a non-logging search engine, and a tool that tracks your email address against data breach lists.
View Now at Surfshark

Interesting options to enhance VPN protection
Photo by Karl Köhler on Unsplash
Simultaneous Connections: 6
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Android TV, Chrome, Firefox
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: 59
Servers: 5517
Trial/MBG: 30 day
NordVPN is one of the most popular consumer VPNs out there. Last year, Nord announced that it had been breached. Unfortunately, the breach had been active for more than 18 months. While there were failures at every level, NordVPN has taken substantial efforts to remedy the breach.
Also: My in-depth review of NordVPN
In our review, we liked that it offered capabilities beyond basic VPN, including support of P2P sharing, a service it calls Double VPN that does a second layer of encryption, Onion over VPN which allows for TOR capabilities over its VPN, and even a dedicated IP if you’re trying to run a VPN that also doubles as a server. It supports all the usual platforms and a bunch of home network platforms as well. The company also offers NordVPN Teams, which provides centralized management and billing for a mobile workforce.
Also: My interview with NordVPN management on how they run their service
Performance testing was adequate, although ping speeds were slow enough that I wouldn’t want to play a twitch video game over the VPN. To be fair, most VPNs have pretty terrible ping speeds, so this isn’t a weakness unique to Nord. Overall, a solid choice, and with a 30-day money-back guarantee, worth a try.
View Now at NordVPN

Deep capabilities hidden in an easy-to-use app

Simultaneous Connections: Unlimited
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, plus routers, Fire Stick, and Kodi
Logging: None, except billing data
Servers: 1,500 
Locations: 75
Trial/MBG: 30 day
IPVanish is a deep and highly configurable product that presents itself as a click-and-go solution. I think the company is selling itself short doing this. A quick visit to its website shows a relatively generic VPN service, but that’s not the whole truth.
Also: My in-depth review of IPVanish
Its UI provides a wide range of server selection options, including some great performance graphics. It also has a wide variety of protocols, so no matter what you’re connecting to, you can know what to expect. The company also provides an excellent server list with good current status information. There’s also a raft of configuration options for the app itself.
In terms of performance, connection speed was crazy fast. Overall transfer performance was good. However, from a security perspective, it wasn’t able to hide that I was connecting via a VPN — although the data transferred was secure. Overall, a solid product with a good user experience that’s fine for home connections as long as you’re not trying to hide the fact that you’re on a VPN.
The company also has a partnership with SugarSync and provides 250GB of encrypted cloud storage with each plan.
View Now at IPVanish

Open source with a dedicated focus on security

Simultaneous Connections: Depends on plan
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, routers
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: 54
Servers: 1,077
Trial/MBG: 30 day
We really like the ProtonVPN story. The company was created by engineers and scientists who met at CERN (the European Center for Nuclear Research — where the Web was invented) with a focus on creating encrypted email and VPN communications with the idea of protecting the communication of activists and journalists. The company is also headquartered in Switzerland, which has very strong privacy laws.
In terms of product, ProtonVPN has a belt-and-suspenders approach to security, layering strong protocols on top of perfect forward secrecy, on top of strong encryption. Not only does ProtonVPN have a kill switch, but it also has an always-on VPN, which attempts to restore VPN service if it’s dropped mid-communication. Finally, we like that all apps are open source and the company reports that they are independently audited. 
Finally, the company offers a very generous free service, allowing one machine to connect at medium speed, but there doesn’t appear to be any limit to the amount of data used in the free plan.
View Now at Proton

VPN service hosted on its own infrastructure

Simultaneous Connections: 5
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, QNAP, Synology, router, TV
Logging: None, except billing data
Servers: 700+ on their own infrastructure 
Locations: 70
Trial/MBG: 30 day
Golden Frog, the company behind VyperVPN, claims to be “A company as old as the Internet itself,” yet its own about page says the company was founded in 2009. Apparently, the founders of Golden Frog were founding companies back in the 90s, and they conflated the two facts. I’m always a bit uncomfortable when a security company conflates facts.
On the plus side, we like that Golden Frog owns and manages its own infrastructure and does not rely on hosting companies. VPN infrastructure is often a murky thing, with the VPN service providers renting time from available data centers in host countries.
The company offers a huge array of client software, including apps for routers and even BlackBerry devices. Apps support key features like a kill switch, a zero-knowledge DNS service, and their own Chameleon VPN protocol for added security. The company’s no-log service was last audited in 2018, so they’re a bit overdue.
Golden Frog, also registered in Switzerland, is a standout in their effort to provide privacy and thwart censorship. When China began its program of deep packet VPN inspection, Golden Frog’s VyperVPN service added scrambled OpenVPN packets to keep the traffic flowing.
View Now at Golden Frog

It’s Norton, a known and trusted brand. What else is there to say?
Photo by John Salvino on Unsplash
Simultaneous Connections: Based on plan
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: Unspecified
Locations: Unspecified
Trial/MBG: 60 day
We found performance is middle-of-the-road and platforms are limited to Mac, iOS, Windows, and Android. Don’t even think of using it on routers, Linux, or gaming platforms. Pricing is weirdly and unnecessarily tiered. The service raises its price by ten bucks when you jump from 1 device to 5, and another ten bucks when you jump to ten devices. Given the full ten simultaneous device package is a good deal at $59, it’s odd that it’s nickel-and-diming the lower tiers.
Also: Norton Secure VPN review: More work is needed for this privacy product to shine
We’re recommending Norton not as much because it’s a great VPN (it’s really kinda meh), but because it’s from a brand we’ve long come to know and trust. The company also offers live 24/7 phone support and has an excellent 60-day money-back guarantee. The company also offers a generous 60-day money-back guarantee, but oddly doesn’t promote it. The only place it’s mentioned is deep inside their refund policy document.
View Now at Norton

Clear and understandable instructions

Simultaneous Connections: 12
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Fire TV, Synology, Kindle, Kodi, and routers
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: 30+
Servers: 950+
Trial/MBG: 30 day
StrongVPN stands out because its setup, website, and support materials are clear and easy to understand. We found setup to offer just the right amount of explanation when we needed it.
Also: My StrongVPN in-depth review
The fact that StrongVPN doesn’t log anything is a big win, but it’s offset a bit by the fact that our testing showed endpoints can tell you’re using a VPN. To be sure, data is nicely encrypted, but if you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re on a VPN, Strong isn’t for you. That said, it had solid performance, an excellent UI, and did the job. Plus, they recently upped the number of simultaneous connections from five to twelve. That’s nice to see. The company also includes 250 GB of SugarSync secure storage with all plans.
View Now at StrongVPN

Astonishing performance
Photo by Sergi Viladesau on Unsplash
Simultaneous Connections: 5
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, router, TV
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: 80
Locations: 115
Trial/MBG: 45 days
This is a company that has had some ups and downs in its coverage. That said, the company seems to have resolved its issues successfully. But I’m burying the lede for this story. Here’s what you need to know about Hotspot Shield: performance was astonishing.
Also: My in-depth review of Hotspot Shield
The company kept sending me bragging emails, claiming exceptional performance. Since reviewers often (always) get “we’re the best” emails, it’s something we ignore like the background noise it usually is. But then my editor challenged me to put Hotspot Shield to the test. And you know what? For most countries, while the VPN connection was active, it actually out-performed non-VPN connection speed. Go ahead and read my review. Surprised the heck out of me.
View Now at Hotspot Shield

A bundle of security features beyond VPN
Photo by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash
Simultaneous Connections: 7
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: All you’d expect and a lot more
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: 89
Servers: 6,381
Trial/MBG: 45 days
The CyberGhost client is more than a VPN connection driver. The company’s offering is a decently complete full security system, including ad-blocking, malicious website blocking, online footprint blocking (blocking cookies from dropping), and forced https redirect.
Also: My in-depth review of CyberGhost
With more than 6,000 servers deployed in 89 countries and 112 locations, CyberGhost has a larger number of servers than many of the other VPN providers we surveyed. Performance was adequate. It provided enough bandwidth to stream video and get your job done, but it certainly wasn’t a rocket. Also, if you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re using a VPN, you’ll want to look elsewhere. That said, for a solid overall security package, CyberGhost is a good option.
View Now at CyberGhost

31-day guarantee because sometimes that extra day matters
Photo by Adam Vradenburg on Unsplash
Simultaneous Connections: 10
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and a lot more
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: 140
Servers: 2,000
Trial/MBG: 31 day
Most VPN providers license their international server presence from local providers all over the globe. PureVPN doesn’t. They own their own self-managed network of more than 2,000 servers in 140 countries. This allows the company to support its full range of protocols (OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP, and IKEv2). It also offers PPTP, but it’s so porous, you probably shouldn’t use it.
Given the tough times due to the novel coronavirus, PureVPN has sent its support folks home, but they’re up and running providing 24/7 support from the safety of sheltering in place. So even though business isn’t as usual, PureVPN has, like many companies, routed around the problem using internet technology to keep connected. We also like the 31-day money-back guarantee, support for a wide range of devices, including Kodi, Roku, and Boxee boxes. 
View Now at PureVPN

A tremendous number of servers

Simultaneous Connections: 10
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Opera
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: 76
Servers: 17,605
Trial/MBG: 30 day
One of the more interesting aspects of Private Internet Access is the wealth of payment options the company offers. Sure, you can pay by credit card. But you can also pay with cryptocurrencies including BitcoinCash, Bitcoin, Zcash, Ethereum, and Litecoin. If you’re not all up on the crypto-craze but still don’t want to leave a record of your payment, you can use over 100 brands of gift cards, including those from Best Buy, GameStop, Home Depot, Lowes, Target, and Walmart.
The company supports a good range of protocols and you can use it on your customized DD-WRT router. We do like the quick setup, included ad, malware, and tracker blocker, and unlimited bandwidth is always appreciated.
View Now at Private Internet Access

Relative newcomer that keeps improving each time we look at them
Photo by Cephas CC BY-SA 3.0 on Wikipedia
Simultaneous Connections: Unlimited
Kill Switch: Yes
Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Android TV, Linux, Chrome, routers
Logging: None, except billing data
Countries: Unspecified
Locations: Unspecified
Trial/MBG: 30 day
Here’s the thing about Goose VPN. It’s called “goose VPN.” That’s nearly irresistible for a writer. When I asked, I was told geese make excellent guard animals, having performed guard duty in ancient Rome, an Air Defense Command base in Germany, and a brewery in Scotland. Hence Goose VPN, where the goose is the mascot for a service that guards your Internet access.
When I first started talking to the folks at Goose VPN a few years ago, they didn’t offer a kill switch and only had clients for the Big Four. But, as time went on, they’ve been adding features and capabilities regularly and their offering is now a nice, robust system. Plus, here’s something really cool. Unfortunately, since the last time we looked at them, the company ditched its lifetime plan. Now, they offer yearly plan durations similar to their competitors. Finally, the company offers a reasonable 30-day money-back guarantee.
View Now at Goose VPN
Native VPN support on your desktop
If you’re connecting to a corporate VPN, you may not need to purchase a VPN service. All the major desktop operating systems include VPN capabilities. Here’s how to get started using those.

Connect to a corporate VPN with Apple
Photo by Michail Sapiton on Unsplash
If you’re connecting to an existing corporate virtual private network, you may not need an additional service. MacOS comes with native VPN support built right in.
Apple provides VPN support for High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina, and now Big Sur. Just pop open System Preferences, head over to the Network tab, and either import the configuration file you were provided or hit the plus button and add a VPN interface. Here’s a handy tip sheet from Apple that will walk you through the process.
View Now at Apple

Connect to a corporate VPN with Microsoft

If you’re connecting to an established corporate VPN, all you need to do is add a new Windows 10 VPN connection. Point your mouse at the Start menu, hit Settings, then Network & Internet, and then VPN. Make sure you have the connection details provided by work and then click on Add a New VPN Connection. Fill in the form and you’re good to go. Here’s a handy tip sheet from Microsoft.
Windows 10 also allows you to host a VPN server by creating a new incoming network connection, choosing the users who can connect, and telling Windows that the incoming connection is across the internet. You’ll also have to configure your router to allow traffic to your computer. PureInfoTech has a helpful guide for setting it all up.
View Now at Microsoft

Connect your laptop with Google

Sadly, this simple solution isn’t built into the standard Chrome browser. If you’re just using the browser on a Mac or Windows machine, you’ll need a different solution. 
That said, if you’re rocking a Chromebook, all you need to do is open Settings and then Network. Click Add Connection. Then all you need to do is choose between OpenVPN and L2TP over IPSec. Google has a handy cheat sheet right here to guide you through the process. 
View Now at Google

Another reason to love open source
Photo by Rekjezt on Unsplash
WireGuard is Linux’s new baked-in VPN capability. Its code is relatively simple and small, making it far easier to maintain, test, and debug. Linus Torvalds, Mr. Linux himself, calls WireGuard “a work of art.”
Also: Linux’s WireGuard VPN is here and ready to protect you
So what do you need to set up WireGuard? More and more of the VPNs we spotlighted support WireGuard right out of the box. You can download it for Linux. But you can also download a package for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and FreeBSD. It’s like most open source products, in that you’ll need to do some reading and thinking to make it work. But it’s free, solid, safe, and, as Linus says, “Can I just once again state my love for it.” 
View Now at WireGuard
VPN for your whole home network
Many of the commercial VPN services discussed above offer router-based VPN solutions. Even though I have a pretty powerful router, I prefer to run my VPN on my NAS. Here are two NAS-based VPN solutions that will get you connected securely.

Built-in VPN app on the NAS

If you have a NAS like the top-reviewed Synology, you may already have a NAS app you can set up and protect your whole home network. The Synology server has a very capable little VPN built-in, and it’s available free to anyone with the NAS.
If you want to go a step further and use some Synology-exclusive VPN services like Synology SSL VPN, clientless WebVPN, and remote desktop, as well as a site-to-site VPN service, you can do so using the Synology router I reviewed last year. That service is called VPN Plus and it normally costs $9.99 per concurrent user. But because of COVID-19, Synology’s offering free VPN Plus between now and September.
View Now at Synology

A mini-FAQ about VPNs
I answered a bunch of common questions above our big list of the best VPNs for 2020. But here’s a quick lightning round of questions and answers about VPNs, just to round out your knowledge.
Do VPN providers limit usage? Some do. Check when you sign up. For non-free plans, none of the providers we recommended limit the amount of data you can use. But almost all limit how many devices you can use at once.
What does logging really mean? Logging is the recording of data about your usage and it occurs everywhere. Every website, at minimum, records an IP address, time, and data accessed so they can track traffic. All VPN providers have to check credentials against recorded personal data to make sure you paid, but a few let you sign up with Bitcoin, allowing you to completely hide your identity. When we say a VPN doesn’t log data, we mean they don’t track what sites you visit and for how long, but they may track how much of their own infrastructure you use.
Is it legal to use a VPN? Yes, in most countries. Some countries (and you should read my guide for more in-depth info) have made VPN use illegal. And even in countries where it’s legal, it’s likely to be illegal to use a VPN to spoof a streaming service into giving you content that otherwise wouldn’t be accessible. Plus…
Can I use a VPN to get free Netflix or watch a blacked-out sports event? Sometimes, but it’s likely illegal and probably fattening. There’s an ongoing arms race where the media vendors are getting better at identifying and blocking VPN connections, so each case is different. And that’s all we can say about it, because… illegal.
If I have a VPN to my office, do I need a VPN service? The VPN to your office will secure your link to your office. If you want to secure your link to anywhere else, you’ll need a VPN service.
Should I use a VPN on my phone or tablet? If it’s your data and you want it to be secure, yes. The same choices are valid regardless of what kind of device you use to transmit and receive data over the Internet.
What’s this kill switch thing? So let’s say you’re surfing along and all of a sudden your VPN connection fails. Your phone or computer is likely to immediately try to reconnect and do so directly, without going through a VPN. All of a sudden your data is unprotected. A kill switch is a feature in your device’s VPN app that detects that connection fail and immediately shuts down network access. Like with everything, it’s not a 100% perfect solution, but these days, I wouldn’t recommend using a VPN that doesn’t offer a kill switch.
What do simultaneous connections mean and why should I care? I’ll give you a personal example. When I travel, I often take my laptop and my tablet. I use the laptop to write and I use the tablet as a second screen to look stuff up. I have two connections I’m using at once and I want my VPN to protect both. If my wife is also doing the same thing, that’s four connections. Add our phones and you have six connections. If we’re using all those devices at once that’s simultaneous connections. The more the better.
What about all those weird protocol words? If you’ve been shopping for a VPN service, you’ve undoubtedly come across a bunch of names like SSL, OpenVPN, SSTP, L2TP/IPSec, PPP, PPTP, IKEv2/IPSec, SOCKS5, and more. These are all communication protocols. They are, essentially, the name of the method by which your communication is encrypted and packaged for tunneling to the VPN provider. To be honest, while VPN geeks can argue over protocols for hours, you’re probably good enough if you just use the default set up by your provider.
How to choose
I could write an entire article about how VPNs work and how to choose, and, in fact, I did. Rather than repeating it all here, I’m just going to point you to How to find the best VPN service: Your guide to staying safe on the internet.
Our process
This list did not involve as much original research and testing as some of my other recommendation lists. That’s because I’ve been writing VPN articles every month or so since early 2017. I have looked at a lot of VPN providers.
Many of the providers recommended in this list have been subject to in-depth testing and reviews, written either by me or by CNET’s product evaluation team. (See: The best VPN services for 2020.) For those, we have tangible testing numbers. Other VPNs have been ones we’ve been talking about for years, spoken with their management and their users, and have developed a generally positive impression.

A few of the VPNs (Hotspot Shield, in particular) had a more rocky road. They had some tough PR at the beginning and made some seemingly ludicrous claims about speed. It wasn’t until I brought them in house and pounded on them for a few weeks that I realized that their claims were justified. Sometimes, products just surprise you.
But here’s the thing: All these vendors have solid money-back guarantees and we would not have recommended them otherwise. We do test VPN services from multiple locations, but we can’t test from all locations. Every home, every community, every local ISP, and every nation has a different infrastructure. It’s essential that once you choose, you test for all your likely usage profiles, and only then make the decision to keep the service or request a refund.
One thing to consider is whether you’re looking for a solution for working at home vs. traveling. For example, if you travel rarely (even before COVID-19), have strong bandwidth at home, and have a NAS or a server box, you might want to VPN to your home server from your machine’s native client, and then out to the world. If you’re newly home for the duration and your company has a dedicated VPN, you’ll want to use whatever process they’ve set out for you.But, generally speaking, it doesn’t hurt to have a VPN provider already set up and in your kit bag. Most home-based traffic won’t require VPN usage, but if you’re on any sort of shared connection, having a VPN provider is a good idea. Also, if you ever think you’ll need to access the Internet from out and about — like a hospital or doctor’s office, then having a VPN provider can be a win. Likewise, if you want to obscure where you’re connecting from (this might be more important now that we’re always in the same place all day), a VPN provider might help.
Finally, don’t expect miracles. Your home-based pandemic broadband pipes are likely to be more clogged than ever before. Everyone is at home, many people are streaming movies to stay sane, and there are only so many bits that can fit at any given time. If you experience traffic slowdowns, be sure to check not only your VPN, but your Wi-Fi connection between your device and your router, your connection to your broadband provider, and even their connection to upstream providers.
That said, we’re all in this together. Hang in there and stay safe. How are you managing your home-based networking? Let us know in the comments below.
You can follow my day-to-day project updates on social media. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @DavidGewirtz, on Facebook at Facebook.com/DavidGewirtz, on Instagram at Instagram.com/DavidGewirtz, and on YouTube at YouTube.com/DavidGewirtzTV.

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Windows users and admins can expect a Patch Tuesday update on December 8, but Microsoft just snuck in the final optional update for the latest versions of Windows 10 a day ahead of its December 1 cut-off. 
In mid-November Microsoft warned it would stop delivering the optional updates it releases in the latter part of the month that let admins test against systems before it releases its Patch Tuesday updates on the second Tuesday of each month. 

Windows 10

The reason it’s not issuing optional or preview updates is to give admins a break over the holiday period when staffing resources could be stretched. It will resume these updates in January 2021.   
Microsoft tests the newest versions of Windows 10 with users in the Windows Insider program before releasing them to the general public and it did that last week with the Windows 10 20H2 Build 19042.662 to the Beta and Release Preview Channels for Insiders who are on 20H2. 
The update was tagged as KB4586853, which is now available to all Windows 10 systems on Windows 10 version 20H2 and 2004 that aren’t enrolled in the Windows Insider program. The cumulative update will be included in the December 2020 Patch Tuesday update. 
There don’t appear to be any substantial changes from the preview build Microsoft released to Windows Insiders a week ago but there are a few lingering known issues that remain unresolved. 
Microsoft highlights that it has fixed an issue that stalls Narrator after users unlock a device, if Narrator is being used before the device was locked. 

The update addresses issues that affected Xbox, DirectX graphics, USB-connected devices, and Asian input method editors (IME). 
After installing KB4586853, most Windows users should be able to find Xbox consoles more easily from a Windows device, while the Microsoft Xbox Game Bar app controls on supported monitors should be visible. This issue affected some Microsoft DirectX 9.0 games that run with Windows 10 variable refresh Rate enabled on monitors. 
Microsoft has also been working to fix a USB 3.0 bug that caused a device connected to the hub to stop working when on devices in hibernation mode or after restarting the device. There’s also a fix for touch keyboard problems in the Windows 10 Mail app. 
The update should address a whole lot of issues affecting consumers and enterprise admins running systems with the latest versions of Windows, according to release notes for the Insider preview.  
As per the release notes for the preview for Windows Insiders, Microsoft addressed an issue preventing certain MIDI devices from connecting using Bluetooth Low Energy. It also fixed an issue that prevents access to Azure Active Directory (AD) using Google Chrome because of a Conditional Access policy error.
Microsoft references a known issue for system and user certificates being lost after updating a device from Windows 10, version 1809 or later to a later version of Windows 10. 
Microsoft acknowledged this issue in early November and said a fix would be available in a few weeks. It is important because losing user or system certificates can cause problems for VPNs that rely on them for connecting to work remotely. 
The certificate issue affects devices that have installed any cumulative update (LCU) released since September 16, 2020.  More

Urban households around the world have almost twice as much access to the internet than those living in rural areas, according to the United Nation’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
According to the ITU, about 72% of households in urban areas globally had access to home internet in 2019, while only 38% of homes in rural areas had the same access. 
Published as part of the ITU’s annual Measuring Digital Development: Facts and figures report, the United Nations agency also said that urban access to the internet was 2.3 times higher than rural access in developing countries.
Urban and rural areas were classified in accordance with each UN member country’s own definition for what they consider to be urban and rural.
By comparison, the urban-rural gap in developed countries was much smaller, with 87% and 81% of urban and rural homes having access to home internet in 2019, respectively.
Meanwhile, connectivity gaps in rural areas were the most particularly pronounced in the least developed countries, with 17% of these rural populations living in areas with no mobile coverage at all, and 19% of these rural populations being covering by only a 2G network. 
“How much longer can we tolerate the significant gap in household connectivity between urban and rural areas?” ITU secretary-general Houlin Zhao said. 
Image: ITU

Looking at internet coverage, in most regions, more than 90% of the population have access to a 3G or higher quality mobile-broadband network, the ITU said in its report.
Africa and the former Soviet states that make up the Commonwealth of Independent States were the regions that faced the biggest gap in 2019, where 23% and 11% of their populations, respectively, had no access to a mobile broadband network at all.
Globally, almost 85% of the population will be covered by a 4G network by the end of this year, which would amount to a two-fold increase from five years ago, the report said. Annual growth has been slowing down gradually since 2017 however, with 2020 coverage only being 1.3 percentage points higher than 2019.
93% of the world population, meanwhile, will have access to at least 3G networks by the end of 2020, which is only half a percentage point higher than a year ago. 
Along with the slowing down of internet coverage expansion, 2020 also saw the total number of mobile-cellular telephone subscriptions decline for the first time in history, according to the report. 
During 2020, there were an estimated 105 mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, which is down from 108 in 2019. The report stated that further research would be required to understand whether the dip was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic or other socio-economic forces.
In response to the slowdown of network coverage expansion and decline in mobile subscriptions during 2020, Zhao said infrastructure rollout needed to become an urgent issue for countries globally, especially as COVID-19 has forced many people to work and study from home. 
“With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on lives, societies, and economies around the world, many of our daily activities have moved online, throwing a sharp spotlight on global connectivity,” ITU director Dorren Bogan-Martin added.
Despite the decline in global mobile-cellular subscriptions, international bandwidth usage continued to grow during the pandemic. According to the report, international bandwidth usage grew globally by 38%, exceeding the growth rate of the previous year by six percentage points.
Earlier this year, the ITU and World Health Organization (WHO), supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), worked with telcos around the world to text health information related to the pandemic to those without access to the internet.
“The goal is to reach everyone with vital health messages, whatever their connectivity level,” the WHO and ITU said in a statement.
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Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai said he plans to leave the commission on Jan. 20, 2021. This opens the door to President-elect Joe Biden to select a new head of the telecommunications regulator. While best known for wrecking network neutrality, in his resignation letter Pai largely ignored that issue. His only comment relating to it was “this FCC has not shied away from making tough choices. As a result, our nation’s communications networks are now faster, stronger, and more widely deployed than ever before.”

Few would agree with his rosy view. While according to the FCC’s 2020 Broadband Deployment Report, only 22.3%, 21.3 million rural Americans, don’t have access to internet download speeds of at least 25 Mbps, which is the recommended speed for working from home and online schooling, the real numbers are much worse. BroadbandNow Research using the FCC’s own data found almost twice that number, 42 million, don’t have broadband access. 
This, in turn, as the coronavirus pandemic has made working from home the new normal, has made rural areas even more unattractive. In a recent SatelliteInternet survey, 36% of respondents said poor internet access is preventing them from moving to rural areas, while 67% said the internet availability in an area would affect their decision to move somewhere rural.
As for net neutrality, as predicted, ISP costs to users have gone up while performance remains stagnant. The New America centrist think tank found in its 2020 Cost of Connectivity survey, which was completed before the work from home movement picked up speed, that prices have continued to spiral upward.
The group also found that cost remains one of the biggest barriers to internet adoption. Cable.co.uk reported that US users pay $50 per month on average for the internet. And, thanks to a “lack of competition in the marketplace… Americans pay far more than they should compared to much of the rest of the world.”  I’m sure you’re surprised. 
New America also noted, the lack of choice between ISPs — not just between urban and rural communities, but also between households that can afford a home internet connection and those that cannot — are turning us into a country of internet haves and have nots.
Jonathan Schwantes’, privacy and technology policy director for Consumers Union, the advocacy division of Consumer Reports, prediction has come true: “Internet providers are now free to move forward on the anti-competitive practices they were flirting with before these rules were passed, including throttling content and paid-prioritization schemes that place smaller businesses at a disadvantage and ultimately cost consumers more.”

For example, data-cap programs for fixed ISPs are now becoming commonplace. Comcast, for example, will now put a 1.2TB monthly data cap on all its customers in early 2021. That may sound like a lot, but when everyone’s working, studying, and playing at home, it’s not that much.
Comcast isn’t the only one. AT&T’s millions of DSL subscribers also now must deal with monthly data caps. AT&T intends to kill off its legacy DSL business. This will leave millions of rural users with no broadband at all. Good job, Pai!
Charter/Spectrum, while denying that they’ll ask for data caps, has asked the FCC to enable them to place caps starting in May 2021. Currently, Charter as part of its acquisition of Time Warner Cable, isn’t allowed to place data caps. 
Also as Schwantes predicted, major ISPs are using zero-rating to make their own media streaming services look good, while slowing down the competition. In zero-rating, an ISP lets you stream its streaming service for free while restricting alternatives. 
For example, AT&T gives its customers’ zero-rating on A&T TV Now, while if you wanted to watch Sling TV instead, your usage would count against your data cap. Evidence strongly suggests major ISPs, such as AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile are slowing down traffic from popular video streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime.
Also: Best TV streaming service: Compare the top subscription-based video packages 
It’s not just net neutrality where Pai has done the country wrong. Under defeated President Donald Trump, Pai has also sought to turn the FCC into what the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) calls the free speech police. Trump’s most recent would-be FCC appointment, Nathan Simington, is one of the legal architects behind his recent executive order seeking to strike down Section 230, the most important law protecting online free speech. 
Before Pai leaves, he’ll have one final issue to address. The FCC at its December 10th meeting will consider a “rip-and-replace” order. If passed, this would require all telecoms to remove Huawei and ZTE equipment from their networks on the grounds their hardware represents national security threats. 
Who will Biden appoint in his place? Sources close to Biden’s transition team say, Mignon Clyburn, a former FCC member under Obama, and Jessica Rosenworcel, a present member, are under consideration for the FCC Chairperson’s spot. Both are strong net neutrality supporters.
Under Biden and a new FCC chair, net neutrality will return and both consumer and business users will get better, more fairly priced, and more broadly distributed internet. In these days when we need fast internet from the smallest home to the largest business, net neutrality is more important than ever.
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