Push for Net neutrality mandate grows

PUSH FOR NET NEUTRALITY MANDATE GROWS
[SOURCE: C-Net|News.com, AUTHOR: Anne Broache]
The American Association of Retired Persons, better known as the AARP, may be more famous for its lobbying muscle on pension plans and Medicare, but now it's taking up a new platform: keeping the Internet free and open for the age 50-plus set. The 35 million member group is among a growing list of companies and organizations that signed a new letter Thursday urging senators to require Net neutrality principles by law. Also called network neutrality, it's the idea that the companies that own the broadband pipes should not be able to configure their networks in a way that plays favorites--allowing them, for example, to transmit their own services at faster speeds, or to charge Net content and application companies a fee for similar fast delivery. "We're not traditionally someone who would be involved in technology legislation and things of that nature, but this has a direct impact on our members and their lifestyles," said AARP spokesman Mark Kitchens. After all, the baby-boomer contingent is going online in droves, he said. In a survey of members in the age 50-to-59 range, 72 percent reported accessing the Net on a regular basis, and the number of Net-surfing retirees in general is growing "exponentially," he said. Sixty-four companies and organizations sent an identical letter earlier this month to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which wrote Net neutrality provisions into an earlier telecommunications reform draft but not to the extent desired by several Internet content providers. A new draft of that legislation is still in progress. Besides the AARP, the new letter counts five other new signatories: Adobe Systems, BT America, the Digital Media Association, Sony Electronics and the Business Software Alliance. The original group included Amazon.com, the American Association of Libraries, EarthLink, eBay, Google, Match.com, Microsoft, Skype, TiVo and Yahoo.
http://news.com.com/Push+for+Net+neutrality+mandate+grows/2100-1028_3-60...

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http://telephonyonline.com/home/news/Net_neutrality_letter_031706/

-- Commentary on Net Neutrality --

* Say No to "Net Neutrality" Rules
[Commentary] BellSouth argues against net neutrality.
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2006/tc20060316_119464...

* Is "Net Neutrality" Liberal ... or Conservative
http://free2innovate.net/archives/001122.html

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http://www.digitaldivide.net/blog/TimKarr/view?PostID=12103