Yesterday the US Senate Commerce Committee “held a hearing on Network Neutrality”:1, gearing up for possible legislation that would encode “network neutrality”:2 into law. “Reuters reports”:3:
bq. High-speed Internet providers and Internet content companies clashed before lawmakers on Tuesday, in a dispute over whether a law enshrining the right to surf anywhere on the Web would help or harm consumers. Representatives of local telephone and cable companies that offer fast Internet access, known as broadband, said passing a new law could stymie innovation while companies like Google said that could happen without legislation. Broadband providers have largely pledged that consumers will be able to access any Internet site. But some also said they may charge more for services that use faster private Internet networks, like downloading movies. In the middle were lawmakers who were divided and uncertain about whether they should act. Republicans and Democrats both expressed support for unfettered Internet surfing, but a few Republicans cautioned about legislating too quickly.
“The testimony has been posted”:4, and there’s lots of commentary available:
* “Dueling Network Buzzwords: ‘Neutrality’ Versus ‘Diversity’”:8 (Technology Daily)
* “Politicos divided on need for ‘net neutrality’ mandate”:5 (News.com)
* “Ensuring Open Internet an Issue Before Congress”:6 (MediaWeek)
* “Network Neutrality Hearing Reactions”:7 (Media Policy Blog)
*Update:* “ArsTechnica has a good summary report”:9 with quotes from the testimony.
[1]http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1705
[2]http://www.wirelesscommunity.info/network-neutrality
[3]http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2006-02-07T232443Z_01_N07259780_RTRUKOC_0_US-INTERNET-NEUTRALITY.xml
[4]http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/witnesslist.cfm?id=1705
[5]http://news.com.com/Politicos+divided+on+need+for+net+neutrality+mandate/2100-1028_3-6036231.html?tag=nefd.lede
[6]http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001958729
[7]http://mediapolicy.blogspot.com/
[8]http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-MBSE1139339451850.html
[9]http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060208-6139.html
Filed under: Network Neutrality, Policy
