The
FCC today proposed a rule today calling for all Internet traffic to be treated equally, regardless of destination. In doing so – via a
live Webcast that began at 10 a.m. – the government agency welcomed comments, especially suggestions on how the commission should handle managed services, such as video and voice.
Much of what was said was a repeat of the FCC’s (
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Alert) speech in September, when Chairman Genachowski first announced the proposal. This time, however, there appeared to be more attention paid to wireless Internet in his speech, as the commission addressed the issue of “reasonable network management policies.”
The deadline for comments on the proposal is January 14, 2010; reply comments are due by March 5, 2010.
Following the FCC’s announcement of the proposal, a number of wireless and Internet stakeholders issued their own statements.
Ahead of today’s FCC vote on the proposal, Lowell McAdam, CEO of Verizon Wireless and Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google (
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Alert), issued a joint statement, “Finding Common Ground on an Open Internet,” via Verizon’s
policy blog:
“Verizon (
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Alert) and Google might seem unlikely bedfellows in the current debate around network neutrality, or an open Internet. And while it’s true we do disagree quite strongly about certain aspects of government policy in this area -- such as whether mobile networks should even be part of the discussion -- there are many issues on which we agree. For starters we both think it's essential that the Internet remains an unrestricted and open platform--where people can access any content (so long as it’s legal), as well as the services and applications of their choice.”
Shortly following the FCC’s announcement, CTIA-The Wireless Association President and CEO Steve Largent (
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Alert) issued a statement that it the organization was “pleased” the FCC has acknowledged that “wireless is different.” However, the association said it is still concerned about the rule’s impact.
“We agree wireless is different, and believe that whatever the case may be for applying rules to other platforms, applying these rules to mobile wireless broadband services during a period of dynamic innovation and change in the wireless ecosystem could have significant unintended consequences … Further, the imposition of net neutrality rules will degrade the value of unencumbered licenses purchased in the most recent auctions and threaten the integrity of the auction process. The FCC considered ‘openness’ requirements in the 700 MHz auction and chose to apply those requirements to a single block of spectrum. To extend that requirement, and more, now would raise serious legal issues and threaten the integrity of future auctions.”
Marisa Torrieri is a TMCnet Editor. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Marisa Torrieri
