Net Neutrality Debate May End Up in Congress

SOURCE: eWeek, AUTHOR: Caron Carlson]
U.S. senators are getting ready to delve into the slippery subject of network neutrality, which most people are in favor of -- as long as they can define it on their own terms. The principle of net neutrality generally holds that network owners should remain neutral with respect to the content they carry. The three largest network operators -- all regional Bell operating companies -- have voiced support for the principle, while their top executives have suggested over recent months that large content providers should pay a premium for priority use of the networks. The suggestions have come from BellSouth, AT&T and Verizon Communications. The notion of a priority content delivery system, in which service quality levels are guaranteed only at a price, is sounding alarm bells for user rights activists and free speech advocates. Charging that a multitiered Internet would force users to pay twice for online content and that access to some sites could end up being impaired, the Consumers Union, Consumer Federation of America and Free Press are calling on Congress to enact net neutrality legislation
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,183353,00.html

* Telco Chief Explains That We Really Only Pay For Half Of Our Internet Connection
[Commentary] AT&T is suggesting that when we buy bandwidth, we're just buying the bandwidth from the end-point to the backbone... and everything else is just free. It is conveniently forgetting (again) that without the content and services provided at all the other endpoints, the value of connecting from the end to the middle is pretty much gone. No one is paying to connect from the end to the middle. They're paying to connect all the ends to each other. That's the value of network
http://techdirt.com/articles/20060131/0923209_F.shtml