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I have written about Net Neutrality many times in this blog. Once again, the policy is in peril. Many large companies are team up to alert the public of the danger to the Internet this change portends. For all good Netizens we must do all we can to make sure we preserve Net Neutrality!
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Net neutrality turns 1: Here's everything you need to
know (FAQ)
The
new rules governing an open Internet reach a milestone, but not everyone is
celebrating.
February
25, 20165:00 AM PST cnet.com
The
US government's landmark Net
neutrality rules are about to mark their one-year anniversary.
You'd think proponents of a free and open Internet would mark the occasion with
a victory lap.
Emotions
have run high over Net neutrality. Here, protesters gathered in California in
2014, near where President Barack Obama was hosting a fundraiser.
It's
not that simple.
When
the Federal Communications Commission put the
Internet under stricter regulations last February 26, it wanted to make
sure broadband service providers would treat all Web traffic the same. But the
situation is far from settled. Broadband providers quickly sued the FCC, and
the courts are now reviewing the rules. Those legal decisions will decide how
the Internet works.
The
future looks different depending on which side you believe. The FCC says its
regulations prevent big businesses from shutting out competitors and
controlling the content we see on our computers, phones and tablets. The broadband
players, including AT&T and Verizon, say the rules don't encourage them to
invest in network upgrades, which will limit innovation and drive up prices.
Net
neutrality wasn't something many people cared about before June 2014, when
comedian John Oliver compared cable companies to the mafia shaking
down regulators to rewrite the rules. Oliver finished his 13-minute rant by
calling on his viewers to flood the FCC with comments supporting an open
Internet. Four million Americans contacted the agency, crashing its servers.
President Barack Obama joined the
debate that November, supporting a plan to reclassify the rules
governing broadband. The three Democratic FCC commissioners pushed for the new
rules, while the two Republican commissioners opposed them.
You're
forgiven for not remembering all the details. It's pretty wonky, after all. To
refresh your memory and to mark the one-year anniversary, we offer this FAQ and
a reminder that all our stories on Net neutrality, including our exclusive
interview with FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, can be found here.
What
is Net neutrality again?
Net
neutrality is the idea that all
traffic on the Internet should be treated equally. This means your
broadband provider, which controls your access to the Internet, can't block or
slow down the services or applications you use over the Web. It also means your
Internet provider can't create so-called fast lanes that force companies like
Netflix to pay an additional fee to speed up delivery of content to you.
Sounds
reasonable. Why is this controversial?
Although
almost everyone involved agrees with the basic idea of Net neutrality, theFCC's
rules have become a lightning rod for controversy. That's because the
commission, under Wheeler,
has reclassified broadband as a public utility. That change puts broadband
providers under some of the same strict regulations that have governed
telephone networks for more than 80 years.
Before
the ink even dried on the new regulations, telephone companies and cable
operators banded together to sue the government, arguing that the FCC doesn't
have the authority to make such a drastic change. They say the new
classification lets the FCC impose higher rates, which will discourage them
from building or upgrading networks. The FCC says it doesn't have any plans to
regulate rates or quash innovative business models. Wheeler said the only
reason the agency reclassified broadband was to make sure it can fight legal
challenges it expects from Internet providers.
Why
is this a big deal?
If
the US Court of Appeals upholds the FCC's order, broadband providers can't
block or slow down your access to the Internet. They also won't be able to
create fast lanes, where companies pay for priority access to deliver content
and services to your home.
If
the FCC loses, the agency could be stripped of its authority and be left unable
to determine whether new business practices will harm consumers. One example is
zero-rating. That's when broadband providers and wireless companies don't count
data usage of specific apps and services against a customer's cap. Net
neutrality supporters argue against the practice, saying it turns broadband
providers into Internet gatekeepers by encouraging consumers to use certain
services instead of others. This, they say, ultimately hurts competition,
innovation and consumer choice. The FCC is currently reviewing offers announced
by AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and T-Mobile.
Where
do the rules stand now?
The
FCC's rules went into effect in June. The lawsuit was argued in federal court
in December, and we're waiting for a decision later this spring. The case will
be decided before the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, the same court
that struck down the FCC's two previous attempts at Net neutrality, with one of
the same judges.
Will
Congress take action?
Right
before the FCC's new regulations passed last year, Republicans led by Sen. John
Thune (R-S.D.) pushed for legislation to derail them, but the effort stalled.
House Republicans also attempted to cut off funding needed to implement the
rules, but that effort failed too.
Opponents
are re-energized, however. Earlier this month, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.)
introduced a bill called the No Rate Regulation of Broadband
Internet Access Act, forbidding the FCC from dictating how much
companies can charge for broadband Net access.
What
are the chances of the bill becoming law?
Net
neutrality advocates say we don't need Kinzinger's legislation. The FCC's
chairman has testified before Congress that the agency has no plans to regulate
rates. He has also noted that the FCC added measures to its regulations that
would prevent the commission from dictating rates in the future.
The
bill's real aim, Net neutrality advocates say, is to strip the FCC of its
ability to regulate any unfair practices on the Internet.
"Under
the Kinzinger bill, broadband providers could try to characterize any and every
determination the FCC makes as a rate regulation," Matt Wood, policy
director of the Free Press Action Fund, a nonprofit devoted to a diversity of
voices in media, said in a column published
by Bloomberg BNA.
The
bill is still in committee and is a long way from becoming law.
So
will the courts finally provide some resolution to the Net neutrality debate?
Probably
not. Legal experts expect that any decision, regardless of who wins, will be
appealed to the Supreme Court. And even if the FCC does ultimately get to
enforce the regulations, you can expect more lawsuits attacking how the agency
applies them.
That's
why no one's breaking into a victory lap just yet.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Good Netiquette And A Green Internet To All! =====================================================================Tabula Rosa Systems - Tabula Rosa Systems (TRS) is dedicated to providing Best of Breed Technology and Best of Class Professional Services to our Clients. We have a portfolio of products which we have selected for their capabilities, viability and value. TRS provides product, design, implementation and support services on all products that we represent. Additionally, TRS provides expertise in Network Analysis, eBusiness Application Profiling, ePolicy and eBusiness Troubleshooting.
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===============================================================In addition to this blog, Netiquette IQ has a website with great assets which are being added to on a regular basis. I have authored the premiere book on Netiquette, “Netiquette IQ - A Comprehensive Guide to Improve, Enhance and Add Power to Your Email". My new book, “You’re Hired! Super Charge Your Email Skills in 60 Minutes. . . And Get That Job!” has just been published and will be followed by a trilogy of books on Netiquette for young people. You can view my profile, reviews of the book and content excerpts at:
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