4-U.S. FCC commissioners support 'open Internet' rule

http://www.reuters.com/article/regulatoryNewsConsumerGoodsAndRetail/idUSN2237873320091022

By John Poirier and Sinead Carew

WASHINGTON/CHICAGO, Oct 22 (Reuters) - U.S. communications regulators
voted unanimously Thursday to support an open Internet rule that would
prevent telecom network operators from barring or blocking content
based on the revenue it generates.

The proposed rule now goes to the public for comment until Jan. 14,
after which the Federal Communications Commissions will review the
feedback and possibly seek more comment. A final rule is not expected
until the spring of next year.

"I am pleased that there is broad agreement inside the commission that
we should move forward with a healthy and transparent process on an
open Internet," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said.

The vote came despite a flurry of lobbying against the net neutrality
rule by telecommunications service providers like AT&T Inc (T.N),
Verizon Communications Inc (VZ.N) and Qwest Communications
International Inc (Q.N), which say it would strip them of the ability
to manage their networks effectively and would stifle innovation and
competition.

The rule would prevent operators from discriminating against any legal
content a third party wants to deliver to consumers on their networks,
though it allows for "reasonable" network management to unclog
congestion, clear viruses and spam, and block unlawful content like
child pornography or the transfer of pirated content.

The full FCC slate of three Democrats, led by Genachowski, and two
Republicans voted in favor of issuing a proposed network neutrality
rule for public comment.

But the two Republicans, Robert McDowell and Meredith Attwell Baker,
did express concern with the content of the rule, saying they do not
share the majority's view that the Internet is showing breaks and
cracks and that the government is the best tool to fix it. They also
questioned whether the FCC has the legal authority to regulate the
Internet network.

Nonetheless, the vote was 5-to-0 for proceeding with the rulemaking,
and 3-to-2 for approving the notice's language in its entirety, said
Jen Howard, an FCC spokesman.

The FCC will accept public comments until Jan. 14; then it will review
them and can ask for further comment, with replies due by March 5.

"We commend the FCC for beginning the process," said Senators Byron
Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, and Olympia Snowe, a Maine
Republican, in a joint statement. They proposed a net neutrality bill
in the last session of Congress. Continued...