subject: The Future Of Internet Regulations Into Doubt [print this page] the future of Internet regulations into doubt(1)
A federal court threw the future of Internet regulations into doubt Tuesday with a far-reaching decision VGP-BPS8 that went against the Federal Communications Commission and could even hamper the government's plans to expand broadband access in the United States.
Supporters of network neutrality, including the FCC chairman, have argued that the policy is necessary to prevent broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against certain Web sites and online services, such as Internet phone programs or software that runs in a Web browser. Advocates contend there is precedent : Nondiscrimination rules have traditionally applied to so-called "common carrier" networks that serve the public, from roads and highways to electrical grids and telephone lines.
But broadband providers such as Comcast, AT&T Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. argue that after spending billions of dollars on their networks, they should be able to sell premium services and manage their systems IBM thinkpad t42 battery to prevent certain applications from hogging capacity.
In a statement, the FCC said it remains "firmly committed to promoting an open Internet and to policies that will bring the enormous benefits of broadband to all Americans" and "will rest these policies Sony VGP-BPS9 battery ... on a solid legal foundation."Comcast welcomed the decision, saying "our primary goal was always to clear our name and reputation."
The case centers on Comcast's actions in 2007 when it interfered with an online file-sharing service called BitTorrent, which lets people swap movies and other big files over the Internet . The next year the FCC banned Comcast from blocking subscribers from using BitTorrent. The commission, at the time headed by Republican Kevin Martin, based its order on a set of net neutrality principles it had adopted in 2005.
But Comcast argued that the FCC order was illegal because the agency was seeking to enforce mere policy principles Sony VGP-BPS8 battery , which don't have the force of regulations or law. That's one reason that Martin's successor, Democratic FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, is trying to formalize those rules.
