Net-Neutrality Bill Introduced

NET-NEUTRALITY BILL INTRODUCED
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) introduced a bipartisan bill Tuesday that would ban cable operators, phone companies and other providers of broadband Internet access from engaging in discriminatory management of their networks to the commercial disadvantage of Web-based providers of content and applications. The Dorgan-Snowe bill resumes the so-called network-neutrality debate after major telecommunications legislation collapsed in the Senate last year over whether it was necessary to protect Internet giants like Microsoft, Google, Yahoo! and eBay and their customers from potentially discriminatory conduct, such as the intentional blocking or slowdown of unaffiliated services that hadn't paid to use additional network capacity. Such discrimination would “fundamentally change the way the Internet has operated and threatens to derail the democratic nature of the Internet,” Sen Dorgan said in a prepared statement with Sen Snowe. Sens Dorgan and Snowe said the bill would require broadband providers to "operate the network in a nondiscriminatory manner, but [they] would remain free to manage the network to protect the security of the network or to offer different levels of broadband connection to users." In another provision, the bill would mandate that consumers have the right to purchase a "stand-alone broadband connection that is not bundled with cable, phone or voice-over-Internet-protocol service." In addition to Dorgan and Snowe, co-sponsors include Sens John Kerry (D-MA), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), and Barack Obama (D-IL).
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6405766.html?display=Breaking+News

* Read the bill: http://dorgan.senate.gov/documents/newsroom/net_neutrality.pdf

* See Dorgan/Snowe press release: http://dorgan.senate.gov/newsroom/record.cfm?id=267332

* Dorgan, Snowe Introduce Net Neutrality Bill
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6405757?title=Article&spacede...

* Net neutrality proposal revived in Senate
http://news.com.com/Net+neutrality+proposal+revived+in+Senate/2100-1028_...

* Congress to Take Up Net’s Future
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/10/washington/10net.html

* Net Neutrality Bill Returns in Senate
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=114202

Reaction --

* Free Press/Consumers Union/Consumer Federation of America
"We applaud Senators Dorgan and Snowe for reigniting the essential Net Neutrality debate on Capitol Hill. Their continuing commitment will help make competitive and affordable broadband services a central issue in the 110th Congress. Our elected officials now must act to keep the Internet free of gatekeepers who would destroy this revolutionary platform for free speech and economic innovation. The American public has an overwhelming interest in seeing this bill pass into law, ensuring that the online marketplace of ideas remains open and vibrant."
http://www.freepress.net/press/release.php?id=199

* Common Cause
"The Internet has revolutionized citizen engagement in their democracy,” Pingree said. “Millions of Americans go online to get political news, to engage with candidates’ campaigns, and to communicate with their elected leaders. This revolution was able to happen because of net neutrality, one of the Internet’s longest standing principles. Net neutrality ensures that our Internet will remain open, free and competitive -- and must be preserved."

* AT&T
"We continue to believe that net-neutrality regulations are unwarranted and remain hopeful that lawmakers will pivot their efforts toward support of a national priority to deploy more advanced broadband to more Americans more quickly."

* Verizon
"Net Neutrality ­ better named Net Regulation ­ is trying to solve a problem that doesn't exist."

* National Cable & Telecommunications Association
"We continue to believe that regulation of the Internet is unnecessary and will only stifle the investment, innovation and creativity that has been the hallmark of today's dynamic broadband marketplace."
http://www.ncta.com/ContentView.aspx?hidenavlink=true&type=reltyp2&conte...

* Hands Off the Internet
"It’s disappointing that Sens. Snowe and Dorgan would introduce essentially the same bill to regulate the Internet that went down to such decisive defeat in Congress last June."

* FreedomWorks
"Common sense tells us that if it ain’t broke don't fix it."