ISPs on Net Neutrality Ruling: Don't Worry. Trust Us. Most folks who've been watching the last several years of serious net neutrality rule death throes weren't particularly surprised by this week's ruling (pdf). As Marvin Ammori at Slate astutely points out, former FCC boss Julius Genachowski's refusal to classify ISPs as common carriers set the stage for the agency's tenuous footing to begin with. Meanwhile, understated in this week's furor is the fact that the rules, designed in large part by industry, didn't really do all that much (and little to nothing for wireless networks).

quote: We are committed to work with Chairman Wheeler and the Commission to play a constructive role in finding an appropriate regulatory balance going forward that will continue to allow the Internet to flourish. Given the DC Circuit Court of Appeals holding that the FCC has jurisdiction in the broadband arena to preserve and facilitate the innovation that has driven the Internet, we are optimistic that the Commission can accomplish this result while avoiding inappropriate common carrier regulation ." Verizon too insisted that the public quote: Verizon, which filed the case against the FCC, said Tuesday's court decision "will not change consumers' ability to access and use the Internet as they do now." It said the decision "will allow more room for innovation, and consumers will have more choices to determine for themselves how they access and experience the Internet. Verizon has been and remains committed to the open Internet." There is no doubt ISPs want to implement new pricing models that ramp up quarterly revenues at the cost of a healthy, relatively-open Internet and consumer wallets. What happens next? All eyes are on new FCC boss Tom Wheeler, who'll either buck concerns about his lobbyist past and reclassify ISPs as common carriers under Title II, or maintain the status quo (consumer welfare and competition issues playing a distant backseat to the improvement of carrier quarterly revenues) under a flourish of lovely but ultimately hollow public rhetoric. The rules themselves are somewhat incidental as the name of the game for broadband ISPs has always been to gut the government of all authority to regulate broadband providers, allowing them to do whatever they like, whenever they like. On that front major carriers quickly turned this week to promising that the lack of net neutrality rules (and potentially weaker regulators powerless to do anything to manage bad behavior) are absolutely nothing to worry about. Comcast had this to say in a statement circulated to the media and DSLReports.com:Verizon too insisted that the public shouldn't worry about the fact that a company with a long history of anti-competitive behavior is actively working to gut regulatory oversight of their business practices. Alas, notes Verizon, the lack of neutrality rules or FCC authority allows the company to unleash their version of true "innovation":There is no doubt ISPs want to implement new pricing models that ramp up quarterly revenues at the cost of a healthy, relatively-open Internet and consumer wallets. What happens next? All eyes are on new FCC boss Tom Wheeler, who'll either buck concerns about his lobbyist past and reclassify ISPs as common carriers under Title II, or maintain the status quo (consumer welfare and competition issues playing a distant backseat to the improvement of carrier quarterly revenues) under a flourish of lovely but ultimately hollow public rhetoric.







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praetoralpha

join:2005-08-06

Pittsburgh, PA 11 recommendations praetoralpha Member RIP Internet RIP Internet

1969 - 2014



Well, it was nice knowing all of you. Goodbye! Millenium

join:2013-10-30 2 edits 6 recommendations Millenium Member Reduce and migrate I think we'd all be wise to reduce our need for internet; reduce the number of online services we use. Online billing, online banking, media, social, shopping, email: be prepared to pay. Have an exit plan!



Edit to add: Internet dependent devices are another area we might be wise to exercise a little fore thought before purchasing.