[GRLUG] NOT LINUX - FCC to vote on net neutrality later today.

[Bob Kline]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/business/media/21fcc.html?_r=1&hp

**
The Federal Communications
Commission<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/f/federal_communications_commission/index.html?inline=nyt-org>
 appears poised to pass a controversial set of rules that broadly create two
classes of Internet access, one for fixed-line providers and the other for
the wireless Net.

The proposed rules of the online road would prevent fixed-line broadband
providers like Comcast<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/comcast_corporation/index.html?inline=nyt-org>
and
Qwest from blocking access to sites and applications. The rules, however,
would allow wireless companies more latitude in putting limits on access to
services and applications.

Before a vote set for Tuesday, two Democratic commissioners said Monday that
they would back the rules proposed by the F.C.C. chairman, Julius
Genachowski<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/julius_genachowski/index.html?inline=nyt-per>,
which try to satisfy both sides in the protracted debate over so-called network
neutrality<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/n/net_neutrality/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier>.
But analysts said the debate would soon resume in the courts, as challenges
to the rules are expected in the months to come.

Net neutrality<http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/n/net_neutrality/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier>,
broadly speaking, is an effort to ensure equal access to Web sites and
cutting-edge online services. Mr. Genachowski said these proposed rules
aimed to both encourage Internet innovation and protect consumers from
abuses.
**

To me, it appears that corporate interests
have already won.  There's nothing natural
about a wire-wireless split.  It should be all
one Internet, independent of how information
moves between points.

In reality, most information will travel over
both wires and  wireless - most servers are
probably wire.  So the split is specious, and
likely just the start of things to come.

Look for Congress to override anything the
FCC does anyway - it's clearly in the back
of the special interests.

   -- Bob

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