FCC chairman will revise broadband proposal - ISPs will not be able to segregate web traffic.

[RKP5637]

http://www.cnet.com/news/fcc-chairman-will-reportedly-revise-broadband-proposal/

The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission has revised details of its proposed plan to rewrite Net neutrality to add assurances that Internet service providers will not be able to segregate Internet traffic into fast and slow lanes, according to the Wall Street Journal.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is expected to reveal the new proposal as early as Monday, the Journal reported. The rules revision is an apparent attempt to quell concern that broadband providers will be allowed to degrade traffic speeds to some sites while allowing other sites to strike deals that assure preferential delivery of their web content to customers.

While not a dramatic revision of Wheeler's proposal, the new draft is expected to include language that will allow the FCC to ensure that broadband providers don't degrade the traffic of nonpaying customers. The new proposal will also seek comment on whether such "paid prioritization" should be prohibited altogether.

The commission's proposed plan ignited a frenzy of criticism on the Internet last month after being spotlighted in news reports. The reports suggested that the FCC had changed its position on certain aspects of its Open Internet rules, including shifting its stance to allow Internet service providers to charge companies for a faster lane of service.

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The redrafting comes just days after the world's top tech heavyweights made a plea to the FCC to lay down the law and safeguard Net neutrality, which traditionally has prohibited blocking access or discriminating against Internet traffic traveling over an ISP's connections. Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Twitter, Yahoo, eBay, and dozens of others wrote a letter (PDF) to the FCC on Wednesday asking for a "free and open Internet" and rules that protect users and Internet companies. In all, nearly 150 Internet companies signed the letter.

[tkmorris]

1. This guy is playing word games

"Paid prioritization" does exactly that; it creates a "fast lane" for internet traffic, and of course all other traffic will be in the "slow lane" relative to it. Any claims otherwise are absurd.

[RKP5637]

2. Yep, the tacit credibility of the FCC is pretty low on my list of trust! n/t

[Recursion]

8. The problem being paid prioritization is how all the new infrastructure is being built

If this is the carrot that gets telcos to run more fiber, I'm on the fence about whether it's worth it or not.

[Newsjock]

3. Just like you can't impose a 'credit card surcharge' on purchases

But you can offer a "cash discount."

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Wait. I read that this was legally impossible.

From a really smart DUer.

[Recursion]

7. Well, it hasn't seen a courtroom yet, but if a court finds this amounts to a common carrier

regulation in its effects, then this won't be upheld.

It's an interesting attempt to split the difference, though from what I'm seeing it sounds dangerously close to a "worst of both worlds" result...

[msongs]

5. how did this guy get on the FCC. sheesh nt

[PSPS]

6. Our illustrious "constitutional scholar" put him there, straight from his cable lobbying job.

[Prophet 451]

9. Weasel words and bullshit

He's still planning on killing net neutrality, the impetus that's provided numerous innovations.

[RKP5637]

10. Yep, he's just putting up a smoke screen! n/t

[woo me with science]

11. Liars.

Again.

IN YOUR FACE Orwellian garbage. If people don't like your assaults, just ADVERTISE that you aren't doing what you continue to do.

Utter contempt for the public.

Hope and Change, my ass.

[RKP5637]

12. Exactly! It's camouflage. Yep, more Hope and Change camouflage! They will

use any means possible to scuttle an open internet, it's a major threat to their business mode of greed and subservient masses.

[Demo_Chris]

14. Exactly. nt

[myrna minx]

13. This doesn't pass the smell test. This seems pretty weasel-wordy to me.