Thanks @Simoyd for assuming my post was not meant as any ill-will towards PS or any other network/guild. I didn’t want my portal closed down 
Judging from the number of replies, I guess I accidentally hit a nerve within the community and it’s opinions on the current use of PNs. I hope we can keep the discussion civilized so that the devs can have some feedback as they continue to iterate on game mechanics.
You’re further discussing a point that I’m not even discussing though. I have said, in this thread alone at least twice, that the current network should certainly stay how it is. I would like to see future planets and warping fleshed out in better detail and to make warping a better experience in the game. There’s no way we can pack up the portal networks now that they are out there. That’s just a nonstarter.
But since you’ve brought this up again, what the devs originally intended is besides the point. This is a sandbox game. It’s organic. Changes with every patch/update. My only request is that when they have the time, they do a pass over the travel system and find a way to make warping an alternatively good travel method. As it stands we have people like you and I who travel to a planet, sanctum, then warp out for cheapocheap to get away from the major areas that are mined out and save travel time so as to be more efficient. We used the portal systems at no cost to avoid the in some cases heavy taxes that can be associated with extensive long range warping. The discussion thread on warping solves a few of those issues and makes warp augments a completely new shop item to be fleshed out more with bonus’s and cons to them. It’s a whole different topic entirely which is why I made a completely different post but people continue to want to discuss it here.
The things that make Boundless what it is are footfall, prestige and portals and some people seem to want to gut all three.
If you hate the core concepts of the game, why do you play it?
Frankly, I’d get rid of taxes altogether. It’s pointless.
But that’s how economics works? And if prices eventually fall to the point where more people are participating, aren’t more people “playing the game” than less. Unless your specific definition of “playing the game” is buying things that are obviously under priced and selling them, but this only works if there is enough inefficiency in the system to allow for the under-selling player to be unaware/unable to sell to the higher-paying buyers.
To the OP’s original question, Are portal Networks a commodity. Not really, a commodity in boundless would be iron ore, gold ore, refined stone, and some of the other blocks and products made. They are all have the same characteristics not matter where you get them (getting them might require different effort but the end product is the same). Tools that are forged are not a commodity due to the differences in characteristics.
Portal hubs mimic things like airlines more to me. Many offer routes to the same places but they are still different. They may go to different points on a planet or require more hops to get to a planet or be more convenient to use based on where you live. Some have stores and some have portals to stores. They do all offer the same service (transportation), but not in the same way.
Edited for typos
Well it’s good to know that I guess, because we completely disagree on what makes Boundless, well Boundless. I play Boundless because the in game community is almost always fun to speak with and make deals with. I will walk around various hubs and check out cool things, or watch my kids do the exact same thing. In fact someone has created a sword flying through the air in the Grindstone hub, and it appears to be shattering a gem and the shards are flying every where. I’m sure it is an homage to something but I don’t know what. I do know every single time my middle kid walks around, she points it out and says how much it reminds her of Zelda.
I don’t engage is ‘prestige’ competitions personally because I see little point but I understand there are those who like to have their name at the top of things so that gives them things to do in the game. The only thing I dislike about prestige is the way block values are, well, valued. And portals well, while I disagree with their current meta, that’s by no means a reason to not use portals or the networks as they exist.
Just because people disagree with the way things are implemented or done doesnt mean they hate things. Things can be in the middle grey area. There is such thing as compromise. I dislike a few things and would like to see them made better, but by in no way does it make me not want to play the game. The only thing that ever did that was crashing multiple times on the ps4, and theyve pretty much erased that problem.
Everything in this game is a commodity. It’s what makes it so fantastic and complicated!! The creativity and ingenuity simply amazes me and keeps my interest. I love to play this game because people are always adding content that inspires me to play more!. Without portals I don’t have the means to travel and see the different worlds and builds that people do, or hunt on a tier 6 or perhaps even a tier 3 for that matter. Honestly if I don’t have that means I think you do loose me. IMO Restrictions on portals is lower player population and this game is already not trending up anymore.
To hubs and players making public portals… 
I appreciate your work and efforts! You make MY game experience much better!
shrug Some people like that kind of thing. It is what made Eve a popular game. Frankly, Boundless has not found a niche yet that sets it apart from other games well. We have building in so many other games. We have economies in many other different games as well. What games have both? Boundless can have both, but the current set up only allows for building, really. As much as I enjoy the game, I am fine with exploring new ideas to keep the game interesting.
I like the game in its current state. Portals gave me a headache at first because I used to get lost. I would warp into a portal hub, forget which shop I came from d/t sensory overload, then spend the next hour trying to find my way home. Really, what we need is more to focus on in-game than shops and portals… like inns, taverns, bars, spas etc. that actually function as such and give perks/buffs.
But there are legion voxel games that let you build and interact. These three elements are what lead to the community that makes this game work.
I could care less about footfall and prestige in my build, but I still benefit indirectly by these things…especially whenever I enter a city.
The shopping economy only works because of these three elements. The incentives to work together and travel extensively.
If I had to wait weeks to travel easily between worlds or was punished for doing so (taxes) I wouldn’t still be playing.
I’m sure that is part of EVE’s appeal, along with the aggressively hands-off approach the devs took with the community. I would hate for boundless to turn into that, though. The execution of the economy in this game requires something like Portals to connect people, otherwise the only realistic way to shop would be to build next to your world capitol and hope the shops there have what you need.
Restricting the flow of goods between different planets (or making transport more expensive) would only serve to create a new ‘middle man’ job. People that would go to the higher tier planets, buy (or gather) large quantities of the resources / blocks there, and then bring 'em back to the lower tier ones.
It’s hard to make a prediction without this being an issue in game, but the way I see it, I don’t think it would really even have a noticeable effect on end prices in the long run. It would just increase the volume needed to be transported per trip so that the cheap prices would still cover the cost of the trip.
Which many people would say is an increase in how grindy the game is.
It seems to me that the people that are in favor of changing how portals work with the intention of increasing price diversity are missing the mark. It could be argued that other avenues would achieve this better without upsetting the current balance. For example, if baskets / shop stands were exempt from tax over locally-sourced items, that would achieve the same result: lower local prices, higher off-world prices.
(Edit: Replying to you because it was the latest post in the ‘economic argument’ side of the topic, not because you’re in favor of it)
I do not know what Legion Voxel games are. I played Minecraft a small fraction, unmodded, with my kids. This is my first real experience in a Voxel based game. Boundless brought in a former gamer who never touched Voxels in the first place, by and large. They’re doing something right. The things you are pointing out as negatives I don’t think I’ve even seen mentioned as of yet. Why are those things the things you are using for your basis of “No”? It seems like you are taking the worse negative experiences from otehr games (like eves jumpfreighter cooldowns) and applying them to this discussion. What if those timer negatives were associated to quirks in augment forging?
Legion=“a lot of.”
He’s not saying he wants the game to be like EVE. He’s just saying that the game still needs time to develop its identity…the way EVE did.
I’m just saying these things are solutions looking for a problem and are fine how they are.
We should be concentrating on REALLY important things…like clothes and chairs you can sit in. 
Correct, but the way EVE did was to turn into a playground for degenerates (and I’m sure there are some fine people, too). If there is an identity for this game to have, and that identity is to be part of the economy of the game (which was the context of the quote I was responding to), I’d like to not see that identity be “■■■■ with each other for fun and profit.”
There is of course room for this game to develop “it’s thing,” be that when Titans are released, or temporary high tier planet exploration, or voxel slice-of-life stuff by letting us make functional bars/hotels/brothels/whatever, and have those happen in ways that are rewarding and inclusive to the community, not a bludgeon for one side to use on the other.
I’m on the fence concerning this, as well. On the one hand, easy and cheap way to get around, and you have access to planets it would probably take a long time to get to without them (meaning low level character).
On the OTHER hand, it does kind of take away from a slow expansion. Also kills the feel of actually exploring and slowly working your way out into the cosmos. Higher tier planets would be less populated, making one feel more isolated, adding to the feel of exploration and discovery. Making the planets and your time there more impactful. Also, as you stated, mats take on less value and meaningfulness.
I can’t deny portal hubs are handy, and I use them often; but it also detracts from some aspects, too. I’m not sure what, if anything, is the answer to this.
For the record, I appreciate the efforts people have put forth to build and maintain the hubs.
Portal Networks have always been a commodity even in EA…