Monday, January 15, 2007

[Network Neutrality] Temporary Victory for Network Neutrality

Last summer there was a bit of excitement about possible Congressional action to change the rules of the internet, including a day of blog action. But in the end, Congress could not pass a bill. The debate, however, led to some great entertainment in the form of a techno remix of a speech by Sen. Stevens (R-AK) and a great Daily Show segment about Stevens' speech.

At the end of 2006, net neutrality advocates got a temporary victory in an agreement by AT&T to maintain network neutrality for the next two years. Tom Abate covered the story for the SF Chronicle in Net neutrality advocates hail AT&T's concessions:

[...]

On Dec. 29, it [AT&T] agreed for roughly two years to abide by much the same "network neutrality" rules that it had spent 2006 strenuously opposing in Congress.

[...]

When asked by The Chronicle, Verizon, Comcast and Time Warner declined to say whether they will continue to honor this unofficial moratorium while AT&T's hands remain tied.

But the prevailing wisdom on Capitol Hill is that the big four won't rock the boat while Congress is considering whether to make AT&T's temporary agreement the basis for a net neutrality law that would bind them all.

AT&T chief lobbyist Jim Cicconi said, "We continue to believe that net neutrality regulations are unwarranted and unwise."

As for what comes next, a House staffer said Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who championed net neutrality last year, will introduce a bill soon to make something similar to the AT&T concessions binding on the entire industry -- and this time he will do so as chairman of a key subcommittee.

But Jessica Zufolo, a telecommunications expert with the Medley Global Advisors policy research firm, said that although momentum has shifted to a coalition that seeks to preserve neutrality on the Internet, it is too early to tell whether proponents will be able to convert a majority of the House and Senate, and ultimately the president.

Meanwhile, the merger concessions create a deadline for Congress to either act or not.

[...]


Read the whole thing here. More commentary at Save the Internet.


This post was written by Marc of Mental Masala.

No comments: