Net Neutrality futilely fighting the tide of convergence, "inter-layer competition," vertical integration

Lost in the debate over net neutrality is the inexorability of convergence and the futility of trying outlaw convergence by the government fiat. Net neutrality proponents intuitively understand that digital/IP convergence means more change, competition, and vertical-integration of products and services -- and they have a kneejerk fear and opposition to it.  Their bias lets them see only problems and blinds them to the many consumer benefits of convergence.

My big aha! moment was realizing why net neutrality proponents are so stubborn in denying the reality of inter-modal competition. To accept the reality of inter-modal competition -- they would have to accept the reality of Â "INTER-LAYER COMPETITION" -- what I have long called "techcom," the convergence of the technology and communications sectors -- but what they call "vertical-integration." 

Tech companies routinely vertically integrate. Google loves to vertically integrate and compete accross the layers of the technology "stack" with Gmail, Google talk, youtube, as does eBay with Skype and PayPal, Microsoft with MSN and XBox and Intel with WiFi to name just a few of the many instances of tech vertical integration. Inter-layer competition/vertical integration has been a hallmark of innovation and value creation for consumers in the tech sector. Inter-layer competition fuels innovation and benefits consumers Big Time!

So if inter-layer competition of tech companies getting into communications has been such a positive competitive development for consumers, why is inter-layer competition from communications companies into technology layers not good for consumers? Do net neutrality proponents really want to argue that Microsoft's 90+% share of the operating system or browser markets, or Intel's 80+% share of the chip market or Google's 50+% share of the search market are so dramatically different than the competitive broadband market when evaluating inter-layer competition/vertical integration?  On what intellectually honest or market analysis basis is communications different than tech? They aren't. Net neutrality is a self-serving competition double standard.

The merits and reality of inter-layer competition/vertical integration is what the Net neutrality debate is really all about.