Net Neutrality: Telcos Want to Charge Web Sites for Web Speed, Access Preference

[mandy]

Networking equipment makers Motorola, Corning, and Tyco speak out against Net Neutrality:

Producers of networking hardware and applications gathered around a podium at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday with a single message: Not all "high-tech" companies support so-called Net neutrality legislation.

At a press conference here, more than a dozen representatives from companies like Corning, Tyco and Motorola urged the U.S. Senate to pass a massive communications bill--attacked by Net neutrality fans for failing to ensure nondiscriminatory treatment of Internet content--as soon as possible...

Supporters say the Senate measure, which was approved by a committee vote in June but has since gotten hung up chiefly over Net neutrality, is crucial because it would make it easier for new video service providers--such as telephone companies hoping to roll out IPTV--to enter the market, increase competition for cable, and thus spur lower prices. Among other benefits, they say, it would also permit municipalities to offer their own broadband services...

full article: http://news.com.com/Tech+manufacturers+r...=nefd.lede

[mandy]

Whether the Network Neutrality debate is officially settled amongst charged, polarized stakeholders is an issue that will be tabled for the moment. Until this week, the issue was bottled up in a Republican-controlled Congress, as Democrats met defeat in both committee and the House floor. But a sweeping left-wing victory may change that...

In Congress, it's been a straight party line vote, with Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK) leading the opposition with old-world political tricks of the trade. Though Stevens has demonstrated no real understanding of the issue, referring to the Internet as "a series of tubes," the Republican senator has been doing all he can to suppress it.

Now that Democrats now hold both the House and the Senate, Green says supporters are "going on the offense." Key players will be Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), who will become the new chair of the House Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommitee, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), who is expected to take Baron's place as chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and presumed Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who recently added Net Neutrality to her list of important issues...

full article: http://www.webpronews.com/insiderreports...ality.html

[mandy]

Latest update:

Once it became clear that FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell would not vote on the AT&T/BellSouth merger currently pending before the Commission, AT&T got serious about bringing the two Democratic commissioners on board. Yesterday the company filed a second set of merger conditions that offered new concessions on network neutrality and other matters in the hopes of breaking the current impasse...

Most consumer groups seemed thrilled about the new agreements, generally because of the strong network-neutrality language. AT&T has agreed to follow the FCC's principles regarding network neutrality and specifically pledges not to sell "any service that privileges, degrades or prioritizes any packet transmitted over AT&T/BellSouth's wireline broadband Internet access service based on its source, ownership or destination."

Professor Tim Wu, writing for Savetheinternet.com, praises the neutrality provisions, but he does note that they are not total. "The agreement does not prevent AT&T from treating different media carried on the Internet differently," he says, "so long as the carrier does not discriminate between who is providing the content...

full article: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20061229-8519.html

[jezebel]

so long as the carrier does not discriminate between who is providing the content

A victory for the little guy girl. 

[Kristijntje]

related news:

Maine has become the first state in the union to pass legislation on net neutrality. The resolution, LD 1675, recognizes the importance of “full, fair and non-discriminatory access to the Internet” and instructs the Public Advocate to study what can be done to protect the rights of Maine internet users.

Small business owners and members of the technology industry say net neutrality is good for Maine business because it allows small businesses to compete online with large corporations. Having net neutrality principles in place would make Maine an attractive place to launch tech industry start-ups...

full article: http://www.lawbean.com/2007/06/16/maine-...gislation/

[mandy]

The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday warned against regulations that would require providers of high-speed Internet service to treat all content the same way, saying such rules could stifle innovation.

So-called network neutrality proposals, backed by Internet companies such as Google Inc. and EBay Inc., would bar Internet service providers from charging extra fees to guarantee access to the Internet or give priority to some content.

In a report, the FTC sided with high-speed Internet providers such as AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc., saying the government should be cautious about such regulations...

full article: http://www.latimes.com/technology/la-fi-...technology

[rose]

The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday warned against regulations that would require providers of high-speed Internet service to treat all content the same way, saying such rules could stifle innovation.

Not requiring such rules could stifle innovation by startups.

[BellisimaJ.]

b*stards. :

[BellisimaJ.]

Update:

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department on Thursday said Internet service providers should be allowed to charge a fee for priority Web traffic.


The agency told the Federal Communications Commission, which is reviewing high-speed Internet practices, that it is opposed to "Net neutrality," the principle that all Internet sites should be equally accessible to any Web user.

Several phone and cable companies, such as AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast Corp., have previously said they want the option to charge some users more money for loading certain content or Web sites faster than others.

The Justice Department said imposing a Net neutrality regulation could hamper development of the Internet and prevent service providers from upgrading or expanding their networks. It could also shift the "entire burden of implementing costly network expansions and improvements onto consumers," the agency said in its filing.

Such a result could diminish or delay network expansion and improvement, it added.

Continue reading here. :cinqo1:

[Kristijntje]

A top 10 list...

If you haven't heard much about Net neutrality this year, you're not alone. It went from being the political equivalent of a first-run Broadway show, with accompanying street protests and high profile votes in Congress, to a third-rate performance with no budget and slumping attendance.

So what killed Net neutrality? Here's a list, in no particular order:

1. The Bush administration...

full article: http://news.com.com/8301-13578_3-9773538-38.html