Work Cited

http://www.newyorktimes.com/
http://www.informationweek.com/
http://www.newscnet.com/

"President Obama has threatened to veto legislation overturning the agency's ability to regulate broadband internet traffic"

"The House of Representatives has voted to overturn rules passed by the Federal Communications Commission that prevented Internet service providers from controlling online access."

"The House voted 240 to 179 Friday for a Republican-backed resolution reversing the FCC's net neutrality rules passed in December. The House Joint Resolution 37, sponsored by Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., was approved nearly along party lines, with all but six Democrats and two Republicans voting against the resolution."

"The F.C.C. had formally voted in 2008 to uphold a complaint against Comcast, saying that it had illegally inhibited users of its high-speed Internet service from using popular file-sharing software. The decision, which imposed no fine, required Comcast to end such blocking."

'The court case, which the federal appeals court ruled on in April 2010, centered on Comcast's challenge of the 2008 F.C.C. order."

"Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco acknowledged in a statement that the FCC rules are not sufficiently clear, consistent, of firm to effectively protect  consumers  and innovative freedom."

"In 2005, the Federal Communications Commission had adapted four broad principles relating to the idea of network neutrality as part of a move to deregulate the internet services provided by telephone companies. Those principles declared the consumers had the right to use the content, applications, services and devices of their choice using the Internet. They also promoted competition between Internet providers."

"The F.C.C. under the Obama administration is moving to add a fifth principle that will prevent Internet providers from discriminating against certain services or applications. Consumer advocates are concerned that Internet providers might ban or degrade services that compete with their own offerings, like television shows delivered over the Web."

"That would be a big change from the level playing field that content companies now enjoy. Barry Diller, who oversees Expedia, Ticketmaster, Match.com and other sites, described the idea as the equivalent of having the toaster pay for the ability to plug itself into the electrical grid."

"These fast lanes are fairly easy to understand when it comes to wireless Internet access, but what confused many was the suggestion by Google and Verizon that future online services that are not part of the public Internet should also be exempt from equal-access rules, These service would be distinguishable from traditional broadband Internet access services, the two companies said in a joint blog post.It is too soon to predict how these new services will develop, but examples might include health care monitoring, the smart grid, advanced educational services or new entertainment and gaming options."

"Since the court decision, the F.C.C. has been trying to find a way to regulate broadband delivery, On Dec, 1, 2010, Mr. Genachowski outlined a framework that forbids both wired and wireless Internet service providers from blocking lawful content, but would allow broadband providers to charge consumers different levels of service. His proposal would also allow broadband providers to manage their networks to limit congestion or harmful traffic, and forms the basis for a proposed order the F.C.C. will vote on at its meeting in the closing  days of 2010."

"The issue took on a new urgency with the Verizon-Google proposal, which was favored by some telecommunications companies like AT&T but opposed by Facebook and many other Internet content companies. Much of the debate rests on the idea of paid fast lanes. Content companies, the theory goes, would have to pay for favored access to a carrier's customers, so some Web sites or video services could load faster than others."