Network Neutrality Comments filed at FCC

NCTA: DON'T REGULATE NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The cable industry asked the FCC Friday to leave the Internet unregulated, saying it is network flexibility that has promopted hundreds of billions of dollars in investments in network build-outs and upgrades.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6452646.html?rssid=193

INTERNET CONTENT PROVIDERS URGE THE FCC NOT TO REGULATE THE NET
[SOURCE MovieFlix/Doctors TeleHealth/KinderStart]
MovieFlix, Doctors TeleHealth Network, and KinderStart urged the Federal Communications Commission not to regulate the Internet by adopting network neutrality rules. The companies differ from some other content providers who think the government needs to adopt network neutrality regulations. "There is growing evidence that [network neutrality regulation] could slow the deployment of the super-fast local broadband networks that are crucial to continued growth of our industry. Evidence of this risk comes from the cable, cellular, and telephone carriers who have begun to deploy these extraordinarily expensive networks, from Wall Street analysts, from telecom researchers, and from scores of companies that produce the hardware and software products necessary to make broadband networks work. If investment in local broadband networks were to slow as a result of net neutrality regulation, the Internet content industry would be hurt by forcing it to rely on existing and less desirable network technologies."
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/0...

EARTHLINK ASKS THE FCC TO ENSURE BROADBAND COMPETITION
[SOURCE: TMCnet, AUTHOR: Spencer Chin]
Internet service provider EarthLink has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission requesting that the Commission promote market competition for last-mile broadband access, in response to attempts by large cable and telco companies to monopolize access to unbundled cooper loops. EarthLink argued that the Commission should not bow to pressure from cable and telco providers to eliminate access to unbundled cooper loops, to “effectively protect the vibrant, open nature of the Internet.” EarthLink argued that enabling it and other ISPs to access the loops would make the market less vulnerable to the anti-competitive practices of the large cable/telco monopolies, who are increasingly bundling phone, Internet, and TV services. EarthLink contends that the incumbent providers are more likely to “block, impair, degrade, and discriminate against Internet content and applications.”
http://internetcommunications.tmcnet.com/topics/broadband-mobile/article...

HANDS OFF THE INTERNET ON NET NEUTRALITY
[SOURCE: Hands Off the Internet press release]
[Commentary] Hands Off the Internet, a coalition of businesses, provided the Federal Communications Commission with the results of its study showing the reasons why adoption of new net neutrality regulations would hinder development of the next generation Internet, and would harm consumers. Hands Off, which examined in depth the legal, regulatory, economic, business and consumer protection issues relating to the issue of so-called “net neutrality”, provided the results of its study in its submission to the Commission in connection with the FCC’s inquiry into broadband market practices. The Hands Off submission explains that broadband capacity, especially in connections to consumers at their homes, must be greatly increased to handle the massive increase in data traffic (due in large part to video applications like YouTube). As explained in the FCC filing, tiered services and new business arrangements by broadband access providers will not result in content discrimination or service degradation, but will spread the cost of the new build-out so that consumers will not be saddled with the entire cost. Additionally, the submission shows that prominent economists agree that the unintended consequences of premature regulation could well result in a slowdown in broadband deployment and higher costs for consumers.
http://handsoff.org/blog/press-releases/reason-instead-of-rhetoric/

CDT SUBMITS COMMENTS TO FCC IN INTERNET NEUTRALITY INQUIRY
[SOURCE: Center for Democracy & Technology]
In comments filed Friday with the FCC, CDT reiterated the importance of preserving an open Internet with no "gatekeepers" and offered its views on which among a variety of potential practices by ISPs could undermine that openness. CDT continues to support the idea of balanced Internet neutrality legislation, but urged the FCC to focus its current efforts on monitoring, transparency, and the addition of a nondiscrimination principle to its broadband Policy Statement.
CDT Neutrality Comments: http://www.cdt.org/speech/20060615fcc-neutrality.pdf

NBC TELLS FCC TO FIGHT TRAFFIC IN STOLEN DIGITAL GOODS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
One thing NBC Universal is not neutral on is copyright violations. NBCU used comments in the FCC's network neutrality docket Friday to push for a government crackdown on intellectual piracy, specifically calling for FCC regulations requiring Internet service providers to police their networks for illegal content.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6452680.html?rssid=193