Groups to Press FCC To Prohibit Blocking Of Text Messages

GROUPS TO PRESS FCC TO PROHIBIT BLOCKING OF TEXT MESSAGES
[SOURCE: Washington Post, AUTHOR: Kim Hart]
Public Knowledge, Free Press, Media Access Project, Consumers Union and the New America Foundation are planning to urge the Federal Communications Commission to clarify how much control cellphone companies can have over the messages and services delivered over their networks. The groups say the FCC should prohibit wireless carriers from blocking text messages sent by any company, nonprofit group or political campaign and carriers should deliver all text messages to their customers, including those sent by competing phone services. It is the latest in a string of complaints and petitions filed with the FCC, pushing commissioners to take a stronger stance on the issue known as net neutrality, which refers to an effort to bar Internet and wireless providers like Verizon Wireless and AT&T from giving preferential treatment to content on their networks. The five-member FCC has said it supports the concept of such a ban but has not formally enforced it. The agency has also said Internet providers have the right to manage their networks in order to serve their customers as long as they do not discriminate against certain content providers.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/10/AR200712...
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