An addendum has been added to the FCC's agenda for the December 21 meeting: net neutrality. The addendum is labeled "Open Internet Order" and notes that "FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski will outline his net neutrality proposal in a speech" and that he plans to bring the issue to a vote by the "end of the year." Thanks Engadget. Here's the full addendum:
"Open Internet Order: An Order adopting basic rules of the road to preserve the open Internet as a platform for innovation, investment, competition, and free expression. These rules would protect consumers' and innovators' right to know basic information about broadband service, right to send and receive lawful Internet traffic, and right to a level playing field, while providing broadband Internet access providers with the flexibility to reasonably manage their networks."
An advanced copy of the chairman's speech has made its way to the Associated Press, which outlines what the FCC wants to accomplish with net neutrality rules. The following excerpt cuts right to the chase:
"Wired broadband providers will be required to let subscribers access all legal content, applications, and services with the flexibility to manage network congestion and spam as long as they publicly disclose their network management approach. Broadband providers would also be allowed to experiment with dedicated networks to route traffic from specialized services like smart grids and home security systems as long as they "don't hurt the public internet."
The New York Times is reporting that the FCC will let service providers introduce usage-based pricing:
"The proposal will allow broadband companies to impose usage-based pricing, charging customers higher prices if they make heavy use of data-rich applications like streaming movies. Users who use the Internet only to check e-mail, for example, could be charged lower prices for using less data."
Expect to here a lot of noise today about the contents of that speech and a planned vote from both sides of the issue.
Comments
Re: FCC to Address Net Neutrality at Dec. 21 Meeting
merry christmas major ISPs, genachowski has just handed you the internet on a silver platter...
Re: FCC to Address Net Neutrality at Dec. 21 Meeting
So if I use a 56k to access e-mail, I pay less because it's a 56k AND because it's only e-mail? While if I watch movies on my high speed cable, I pay more because of BOTH? How does someone even begin to justify that with a straigth face?
Re: FCC to Address Net Neutrality at Dec. 21 Meeting
And of course they're not gonna charge you any less just because you don't use alot of bandwidth. I call this an a$$-kissing.
Hunting the shadows of the troubled dreams.
Re: FCC to Address Net Neutrality at Dec. 21 Meeting
The FCC Chairman seems in favor of allowing 'rationing' by providers. And for wireless? It might as well be open season.
Net neutrality is dead.