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F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane

nytimes.com

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Re: F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane

#11

Post by mikeyouse »

This is largely due to the US Federal Courts' recent rulings that invalidated the FCC's previous attempts to guarantee Net Neutrality.

1. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/technology/appeals-court-r...

2. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/business/fcc-to-propose-ne...

Re: F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane

#13

Post by cnordholm »

mikeyouse wrote: post #11

This is largely due to the US Federal Courts' recent rulings that invalidated the FCC's previous attempts to guarantee Net Neutrality. 1. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/technology/appeals-court-r... 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/business/fcc-to-propose-ne...

The FCC can regulate the internet under title II. They are simply refusing to.

Re: F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane

#14

Post by smokinjoe »

> The Federal Communications Commission will propose new rules that allow Internet service providers to offer a faster lane through which to send video and other content to consumers, as long as a content company is willing to pay for it, according to people briefed on the proposals.

Willing? I'm fairly sure it's going to end up being a "mandatory" fee in order to compete with similar online services.

Re: F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane

#15

Post by higherpurpose »

mikeyouse wrote: post #11

This is largely due to the US Federal Courts' recent rulings that invalidated the FCC's previous attempts to guarantee Net Neutrality. 1. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/15/technology/appeals-court-r... 2. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/20/business/fcc-to-propose-ne...

Even so, there are two other solutions:

1) immediately remove all regulations that might block new competition from coming into the market, and competing locally with the big local monopolies

2) call them common carriers, and then they'd be able to regulate them however they want, and that's what the judge basically said, too.

I'd prefer 1) over 2), but at this point either one would be better. But right now FCC/US gov is doing neither of them and that should scare the hell out of everyone. This needs to be protested big time.

Re: F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane

#17

Post by dragonwriter »

ihuman wrote: post #4

I don't have the best knowledge about the FCC's plan for Net Neutrality, but doesn't this go against everything that the plan stood for?

If it was as the NY Times piece (which seems to be fairly heavy on editorializing and weak on facts for a straight news piece) describes -- "will allow a company like Comcast or Verizon to negotiate separately with each content company [...] and charge different companies different amounts for priority service." However, the other reports on this have not described it that way -- e.g., the WSJ report [1] (which also hit HN today) says that the new rules to be proposed "would allow broadband providers to give some traffic preferential treatment, so long as such arrangements are available on 'commercially reasonable' terms for all interested content companies."

Then again, this Reuters piece [2] says it won't address these types of agreements at all: "However, the rules are not expected to address the issue of interconnection, or agreements in which content companies pay network providers for faster access to their sites or services."

Maybe we should wait until the rules are actually released for public comment before freaking out over the specific details (about which there are many conflicting stories.)

[1] http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/SB10001424052702304...

[2] http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/23/us-usa-fcc-interne...

Re: F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane

#18

Post by noobermin »

I have a question for those more knowledgeable about this than me: compare this to recent EU [1] votes on net neutrality. What do you think, will this give European internet companies an advantage over ones here (specifically startups that don't have the big bucks to shell out to the large internet providers)?

[1] http://gigaom.com/2014/04/03/european-parliament-passes-stro...

Re: F.C.C., in ‘Net Neutrality’ Turnaround, Plans to Allow Fast Lane

#19

Post by jebblue »

parfe wrote: post #9

In six months FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler will be a VP at NBC Universal/Comcast. Not a bribe; just coincidence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Wheeler_(FCC)

"Tom Wheeler is the current Chairman of the FCC.[1] Prior to working at the FCC, Wheeler worked as a venture capitalist and lobbyist for the cable and wireless industry."

Wow. This looks especially bad for consumers.

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