US Justice Dept wary of NET NEUTRALITY proposals

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Antitrust authorities at the U.S. Justice Department on Thursday warned regulators against imposing "network neutrality" regulations that would bar broadband Internet service companies from charging extra to some content providers.

In comments submitted to the Federal Communications Commission, the department said some network neutrality proposals "could deter broadband Internet providers from upgrading and expanding their networks to reach more Americans."

"Regulators should be careful not to impose regulations that could limit consumer choice and investment in broadband facilities," the department's antitrust chief, Thomas Barnett, said in a statement.

The concept of net neutrality is being studied by the FCC and has been the subject of much debate in Congress. Some lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to get net neutrality legislation passed last year.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUKN0634185620070906?rpc=44

Amend the net neutrality bill(s) so that broadband providers are REQUIRED to potentially reach everyone in their market.

Problem solved- providers won't be able to run a line across the end of the street and refuse to go down it, like on the street I grew up on, which somehow still doesn't have cable access even though the lines- owned by the same company, oddly enough- run past both ends.

They've been saying for at least two decades that it wouldn't be "cost effective". Strange... they reach everyone else in the area, except that one street. The joke's on them, though- everyone got a dish instead.

I'm not about to cry any tears because Charter has to spend a little extra money to run a single line in a single direction.

And I guess 'free markets' doesn't mean let the consumer decide after all.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070906/internet_fees_justice_department.html?.v=3

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department on Thursday said Internet service providers should be allowed to charge a fee for priority Web traffic.

The agency told the Federal Communications Commission, which is reviewing high-speed Internet practices, that it is opposed to "Net neutrality," the principle that all Internet sites should be equally accessible to any Web user.

Several phone and cable companies, such as AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications Inc. and Comcast Corp., have previously said they want the option to charge some users more money for loading certain content or Web sites faster than others.

The Justice Department said imposing a Net neutrality regulation could hamper development of the Internet and prevent service providers from upgrading or expanding their networks. It could also shift the "entire burden of implementing costly network expansions and improvements onto consumers," the agency said in its filing.

Such a result could diminish or delay network expansion and improvement, it added.

The agency said providing different levels of service is common, efficient and could satisfy consumers. As an example, it cited that the U.S. Postal Service charges customers different guarantees and speeds for package delivery, ranging from bulk mail to overnight delivery.

"Whether or not the same type of differentiated products and services will develop on the Internet should be determined by market forces, not regulatory intervention," the agency said in its filing.

The agency's stance comes more than two months after Federal Trade Commission Chairwoman Deborah Platt Majoras cautioned policy makers to enact Net neutrality regulation.

Such a regulation could prevent rather than promote Internet investment and innovation and have "significant negative effects for the economy and consumers," the Justice Department said in the filing.

Supporters of Internet regulation have said that phone and cable companies could discriminate against certain Web site and services.

However, the agency said it will continue to monitor and enforce any anticompetitive conduct to ensure a competitive broadband marketplace.

"FCC wary of DOJ support for torture and rigged elections"

I have noticed in my own Internet surfing, unless I'm well prepared that the webpage I'm trying to load is something that I must read, that if the page doesn't load in 3-6 seconds, I oftentimes close the window and move on and look for something else to read.

Isn't it curious that wealthy entities want to offer their favored sites at a faster speed.

Manipulators, the whole lot of them. I don't think the DOJ is even trying to rebuild any trust except for those entities it has aligned itself to in loyalty.