JUST DEPT WARY OF "NET NEUTRALITY" PROPOSALS
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Peter Kaplan]
Antitrust authorities at the U.S. Justice Department on Thursday warned
regulators against imposing "network neutrality" regulations that would bar
broadband Internet service companies from charging extra to some content
providers. In comments submitted to the Federal Communications Commission, the
department said some net neutrality proposals "could deter broadband Internet
providers from upgrading and expanding their networks to reach more Americans."
"Regulators should be careful not to impose regulations that could limit
consumer choice and investment in broadband facilities," the department's
antitrust chief, Thomas Barnett, said in a statement. The department said
proponents of the Internet regulation had failed to show that many consumers
had been harmed in a way that would justify government intervention. It said
there was nothing unusual about the practice of setting different levels of
service and pricing, citing as an example the various mail options offered by
the U.S. Postal Service. "These differentiated products respond to market
demand and expand consumers' choice," the department said. Advocates of the
network neutrality idea criticized the department's conclusions, saying
regulations were needed because many consumers had little or no choice of
broadband providers.
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN0634185620070906
* See Dept of Justice press release
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2007/September/07_at_682.html
* Justice Dept. against Net neutrality (Associated Press)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20625194/
* Bush Administration Takes Aim at Network Neutrality
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6476120.html?rssid=193
* Justice Department: Net neutrality regulations aren't necessary
http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9773240-7.html
* A (Net neutrality) solution in sight?
Harvard law professor Timothy Wu argues that the merger agreement between AT&T
and BellSouth, forged by the FCC in January this year, might offer the basis
for a Network Neutrality solution.
http://www.telecomasia.net/article.php?id_article=5627
* Justice Department Opposes 'Net Neutrality'
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118913530798720424.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace
* Net neutrality hopes hit by DoJ criticism
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/72aa6548-5cc3-11dc-9cc9-0000779fd2ac.html
* Justice Dept. Opposes Network Neutrality
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/06/AR2007090602560.html
-- Reaction --
* Rep Ed Markey (D-MA)
"The Bush administrations decision to oppose Internet Freedom flies in the
face of the open nature of the Internet, which has fostered unprecedented
innovation and economic growth. Network neutrality safeguards would preserve
the open architecture of the Internet and prevent companies from downgrading
and discriminating against competitive Internet services and applications."
http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3073&Itemid=141
* Media Access Project:
"It would seem that the President and the Justice Department cannot do enough
for AT&T and the other companies that agreed to spy on the American people.
Without network neutrality, companies are free to turn over user information
without a warrant or block users from desired content as AT&T recently did
accidentally by blocking Pearl Jams criticism of the President during a
concert performance carried on AT&Ts broadband service."
http://www.mediaaccess.org/press/2007-09-06-DOJ-NNResponse.pdf
* Public Knowledge:
"[The Dept of Justice filing] is at odds with reality for a Justice Department
that approved the largest telecommunications merger in history with a mere
press release to now claim that market forces and antitrust enforcement will be
able to protect the free and open Internet."
http://feeds.publicknowledge.org/~r/publicknowledge-releases/~3/153005265/1174
* Our Disgraceful Internet Policy
http://www.publicknowledge.org/node/1177
---------------------------------------------------------------
WWWhatsup NYC
http://pinstand.com - http://punkcast.com
---------------------------------------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.isoc-ny.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
