FCC passes proposal on internet fast lanes

Protestors repeatedly interrupted Thursday's Federal Communications Commission hearing on Open Internet- shouting their objections to the proposal that may allow broadband providers like Verizon and Comcast- to charge more for faster speed on the Internet - to companies like Netflix and Amazon.

These concerns were already discussed on ATS, here, but now the proposal has been passed officially. (Edit: The proposal, not the legislation, which still has to be approved and incorporated by the US Congress)

Tom Wheeler, chairman of the FCC, had this to say about it:

"There is one Internet- not a fast Internet, not a slow Internet- one Internet. The attention that is being paid to this topic throughout the country here in this room is proof positive as to why the open and free exchange of information must be protected."

Reuters further reports:

But he also presented the idea of allowing some "commercially reasonable" deals. Content companies could pay broadband providers to prioritize traffic on their networks- and that has come under fire from consumer groups and technology companies- who worry about fast lanes for companies who pay up- and slower traffic for the smaller guys.

The proposal by Wheeler was passed with a marginal 3-2 in favour.

So there you have it. The plan to have corporations pay Internet providers for faster services may become reality. I'm not sure what to think of this myself, but I feel that this is a push in the wrong direction. To me it sounds like the corporations with big money don't mind and may even have supported this proposal, so they can start using it to "drown" the smaller corporations with their puny bandwidth into oblivion. But that's just my personal take on it. I'd love to hear yours.

Source


Link to Set of Proposed Rules, now approved (PDF file)

I found some more sources relating the topic and here something from Ars Technica:

As Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said during today’s meeting, there are no rules at all against Internet service providers blocking traffic or prioritizing some content over others. That’s because a federal appeals court this year overturned the FCC’s previous net neutrality order, issued in 2010.

While the FCC’s latest proposal doesn’t specifically authorize fast lanes, it didn’t have to: they’re already legal. ISPs can charge Web services like Netflix (“edge providers” in regulatory parlance) for a faster path to consumers over the last mile of the network because there aren’t any enforceable rules against it.

The important thing is that today’s proposal apparently doesn’t ban fast lanes.

So it seems that these Internet fast lanes are already legal and the FCC doesn't need to approve of it. The concern is then shifted to why they are not banned.

a reply to: RationalDespair

As you say - a push in the wrong direction.



Good catch. F&S&

Now the big corps will run the internet like they run the govt. they will pay for so much bandwidth that the smaller "alternative" websites will take forever to load. Essentially crowing them out.
When you look at it. It's really the same model as the corporate lobbyist paying for govt attention, while crowding out the citizenry.

a reply to: RationalDespair

IN COMPARISON:

Brazil Enacts Internet 'Bill of Rights'

a reply to: soficrow

Also, Europe:

www.bbc.co.uk...

Not perfect, but certainly better than what the US gov is pushing.