FCC chairman to propose plan for net neutrality

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission plans to announce Wednesday a controversial proposal that would prohibit Internet providers from favoring or discriminating against any traffic that goes over their networks.

He would do so, however, without resorting to the more drastic step of changing the way the FCC regulates broadband providers, a move that would have more clearly asserted the government’s authority over Internet access.

In a statement provided to reporters in advance of Wednesday’s announcement, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said he thinks he has “a sound legal basis” to pursue so-called net-neutrality rules that would prevent companies such as Verizon, Comcast and AT&T from blocking or serving up some Web sites faster and at better quality than others.  …..

…. The proposal bars the operators of broadband lines into homes from blocking Web sites, applications or any devices that attach to their networks. It would also prevent carriers from “unreasonable discrimination” that would, for example, serve up Comcast’s Internet video service Xfinity faster and at better quality than that of rival Netflix.

For wireless networks, the rules are weaker. Mobile carriers such as Sprint Nextel, AT&T and T-Mobile would be prohibited from blocking competing voice and video applications such as Skype, Google Voice or Netflix. But wireless providers wouldn’t have the same rules against prioritizing certain applications and sites on their networks like cable and telecom firms. Report

DCL: This is a topic that affects us all! Gone are the good old days of the ARPA net.