US lawmakers urge the FCC to act on net neutrality

FOUR US REPRESENTATIVES have written to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urgng it to act on the issue of net neutrality regulation in the wake of Google's and Verizon's proposal of last week.

The representatives, all Democrats who sit on the House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, wrote to the FCC encouraging it to "take action to preserve the free, open nature of the Internet". Their letter claims that the Google-Verizon proposal could have "potential that certain Internet content could be prioritized", which they view as a grave threat to the established principles of net neutrality that have governed the Internet ever since it was first constructed.

Representative Ed Markey echoed what net neutrality advocates have said for years, writing, "No private interest should be permitted to carve up the Internet to suit its own purposes." He continued to say that the physical medium for data transmission should not be used as an excuse for firms to push ahead with plans to tier the Internet. "Fiber-optic fast lanes or tiers that slow down certain content would dim the future of the Internet to the detriment of consumers, competition, job creation and the free-flow of ideas."

According to Representative Anna Eshoo, the "cable-izing" of the Internet would undermine innovation. Eshoo referred directly to the Google-Verizon proposal, saying it is "not nearly strong enough to meet this standard." Given that it completely leaves out regulation of wireless Internet access altogether, we reckon that Eshoo wouldn't be far off the mark there.

In a surprisingly blunt statement, Representative Jay Inslee said, "American's online experience shouldn't be dictated by corporate CEOs." Inslee like Eshoo mentions that creativity and innovation could be at risk, should net neutrality regulatory action fail to materialise and telecom operators get their way.

Representative Mike Doyle joined Eshoo in deploring the Google-Verizon deal, further criticising it. He wrote, "I am concerned that the proposal put forward by Google and Verizon could have the effect of choking off much of the most important, creative, and valuable contributions the Internet can make to the idea-driven economy of the 21st century."

All four have signed the letter addressed to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski. The FCC has been a supporter of net neutrality, however its powers to regulate the Internet have been called into question. While both Google and Verizon have said that they want to work with the FCC, their proposal did not mention any details about how they would suggest that it regulate wireless Internet communications.

Yesterday AT&T also jumped onto the Google and Verizon bandwagon with support for Google's line of argument that 'wireless is different' and deriding any regulations to maintain net neutrality as "onerous".

Internet users will be hoping that the FCC will actually stand up to these corporations, achieve its goals to maintain net neutrality and prevent these giant telecom operators and ISPs from creating a tiered Internet.

While it is very good to see some US lawmakers taking a stand against the special interests, ultimately one wonders whether corporate greed and influence will in the end overpower the need to do the right thing. µ