Broadband Providers Resist Net Neutrality
The “it’s the internet, stupid” campaign wants the FCC to implement the “non-discrimination and network interconnection obligation” that the group first outlined in 2005 to be part of The National Broadband Plan.
These guidelines state that network must allow access to any lawful content, to run any legal web applications and to connect to the network using any un-harmful device. They also want the FCC to “prohibit discriminatory or preferential treatment of packets based on sender, recipient of packet contents” into the national broadband plan.
Verizon has called net neutrality a “backward looking, heavy handed regulation that would undermine consumer choice and inhibit innovation and investment in broadband.”
Verizon did offer a vague alternative when they recommended that the FCC require “network management practices be reasonable , and not unreasonably discriminatory, but not otherwise tying the hands of the network managers.”
Not to be overlooked, AT&T sent almost 30 pages attacking proposals to implement strict internet neutrality rules, they urged the FCC to continue its’ policy of implementing rules against discrimination on a case by case basis.
Carriers like AT&T, Verizon and Clearwire are completely willing to expand broadband nationwide provided they get funding and the government does not impose strict regulations on the industry.
Interestingly, over the last decade we have not seen a broadband policy put in place primarily due to major carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast spending millions of dollars to ensure that we don’t.
Related posts:
- Net Neutrality Debate Split Down Party Lines
- Net Neutrality Causing a Debate Over Wireless
- McCain Blocking Net Neutrality
