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US House Slams Net Neutrality
Techtree News Staff, Apr 29, 2006 1310 hrs ISTThe US House Energy and Commerce Committee has slammed a Democrats-backed net neutrality amend-ment by a 34-22 vote.
In a body blow to supporters of the "net neutrality" doctrine, members of the US House Energy and Commerce Committee have slammed a Democrats-backed net neutrality amendment by a 34-22 vote. Incidentally the amendment enjoyed support from the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Google, Yahoo and eBay, but was vehemently opposed by Internet carriers who wish to charge heavy-hitter Web sites for faster delivery of services to their consumers.
Several Internet carriers including AT&T have lobbied the US Congress in order to make Web sites cough-up more money, so as to provide their users the benefit of faster downloads.
The US House panel has rejected the net neutrality amendment and passed a bill which prohibits Internet carriers from blocking Web sites or degrading access to them, to the extent that violators can even be fined an amount of up to $500,000 by the Federal Communications Commission. The bill will be subsequently put-to-vote in the full House, although when this will happen is unclear.
The Internet carriers' right to charge Web sites an extra amount was supported by Joe Barton, chairman, House Energy and Commerce Committee, on condition that they allow users access to all online content, and make it possible for them to connect online through any device.
Thanks to the House's move, a tiered Internet looks more possible than ever before - much to the disappointment of net neutrality supporters who feel that such a prospect is likely to shake the very foundation of the Internet viz its openness.
Otherwise rivals, those in favor of net neutrality have forged a broad coalition to oppose the bill passed by the House which they say will give some Web sites unfair advantage over others, thereby altering the "Webscape" for years to come. The companies are now looking towards the Senate which has a record of having introduced at least one bill "for" network neutrality.
Camp neutrality has reportedly written a letter to the Senate stressing that it is network neutrality that empowers the US citizenry, fuels the country s engine of innovation, besides being central to USA's global leadership in the area of Internet technology and services.
The much debated net neutrality is actually part of a broader House bill - the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006, that significantly rewrites tele-communications laws. Going by the act, specific areas such as Internet telephone calls and licensing of telephone companies so as to provide video over broadband lines will most likely be affected.
Several Internet carriers including AT&T have lobbied the US Congress in order to make Web sites cough-up more money, so as to provide their users the benefit of faster downloads.
The US House panel has rejected the net neutrality amendment and passed a bill which prohibits Internet carriers from blocking Web sites or degrading access to them, to the extent that violators can even be fined an amount of up to $500,000 by the Federal Communications Commission. The bill will be subsequently put-to-vote in the full House, although when this will happen is unclear.
The Internet carriers' right to charge Web sites an extra amount was supported by Joe Barton, chairman, House Energy and Commerce Committee, on condition that they allow users access to all online content, and make it possible for them to connect online through any device.
Thanks to the House's move, a tiered Internet looks more possible than ever before - much to the disappointment of net neutrality supporters who feel that such a prospect is likely to shake the very foundation of the Internet viz its openness.
Otherwise rivals, those in favor of net neutrality have forged a broad coalition to oppose the bill passed by the House which they say will give some Web sites unfair advantage over others, thereby altering the "Webscape" for years to come. The companies are now looking towards the Senate which has a record of having introduced at least one bill "for" network neutrality.
Camp neutrality has reportedly written a letter to the Senate stressing that it is network neutrality that empowers the US citizenry, fuels the country s engine of innovation, besides being central to USA's global leadership in the area of Internet technology and services.
The much debated net neutrality is actually part of a broader House bill - the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006, that significantly rewrites tele-communications laws. Going by the act, specific areas such as Internet telephone calls and licensing of telephone companies so as to provide video over broadband lines will most likely be affected.
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James D.Davis
,Greenbrier, on May 01, 2006 02:59 AM
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