Undead Net Neutrality Bill Proposed in Senate

Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) reintroduced legislation this week regarding net neutrality and stand alone broadband services. The bill is very similar to one proposed last year that never made it to the floor for a vote. So, this bill is somewhat of a zombie, but in a nice way.

Known as the Internet Freedom Preservation Act (S.215), the bill would require network operators to run their network in a “nondiscriminatory manner”—certain types of traffic or traffic from certain sources could not be hampered or prioritized, but operators would still be free to offer different tiers of service. The bill would also require broadband operators to offer “naked” DSL and cable modem service that does not require the purchase of other services.

Notable is that the bill enjoys a happy dose of bipartisan support from the two primary sponsors, (Snowe is a republican, Dorgan a democrat). Although all six co-sponsors are democratic party members, including Illinois own Barack Obama.

Source: Ars Technica
Read the bill here (pdf)

FCC Commissioners Statements regarding AT&T-BellSouth Merger

FCC Chairman Martin and Commissioner Tate issued a joint statement regarding the recently approved merger of AT&T and BellSouth that made AT&T the largest telecommunications conglomerate in the US. The back story is this: The merger was previously stalemated because democratic FCC commissioners Adelstein and Copps, at the bequest of consumer and advocacy groups, refused to let the merger go through without provisions for net neutrality. The merger occurred earlier this week shortly after AT&T agreed to maintain neutral network business practices for two years.

Martin and Tate:

The conditions regarding net-neutrality have very little to do with the merger at hand and very well may cause greater problems than the speculative problems they seek to address. These conditions are simply not warranted by current market conditions and may deter facilities investment. Accordingly, it gives us pause to approve last-minute remedies to address the ill-defined problem net neutrality proponents seek to resolve.

Adelstein:

A historic merger warrants historic conditions. I don’t pretend that we addressed every possible issue presented here or that it is possible, or even appropriate in this context, to try to rectify years of decisions that have undercut competition. Yet, drawing on the full record, I have tried to counter-balance the effects of this transaction by asking for meaningful conditions that protect the open and neutral character of the Internet, benefit consumers by promoting affordable broadband services, and preserve competitive choices for residential and business consumers.

Network Neutrality is an extremely complicated issue (see my previous post w/ video for one side of the argument). There are good arguments for and against regulation, but my bias leans toward protecting the historical underdog, the citizen, contra big business.

Congrats to FCC Commissioner McDowell

It’s tough to stand up to your boss, yet FCC commissioner Robert McDowell did just that when he rightfully abstained from voting to determine the fate of the proposed AT&T-BellSouth merger. McDowell, who used to work for Comptel, an association with former business relationships to AT&T and the telecos, refrained from voting on the merger citing obvious conflicts of interest.

FCC chairmen Kevin Martin ordered McDowell to weigh in on the proposal despite the conflicts, yet McDowell refused. Looks like McDowell has narrowly escaped the large lump of coal he was most likely set to receive this holiday. Martin will most likely end up with the unexpected surplus.