FCC chief says Comcast violated Internet rules

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

The head of the Federal Communications Commission said Thursday he will recommend that the nation's largest cable company be punished for violating agency principles that guarantee customers open access to the Internet.

The potentially precedent-setting move stems from a complaint against Comcast Corp. that the company had blocked Internet traffic among users of a certain type of "file sharing" software that allows them to exchange large amounts of data.

"The commission has adopted a set of principles that protects consumers access to the Internet," FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told The Associated Press late Thursday. "We found that Comcast's actions in this instance violated our principles."

... Martin will circulate an order recommending enforcement action against the company on Friday among his fellow commissioners, who will vote on the measure at an open meeting on Aug. 1.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/07/10/national/w191320D10.DTL&tsp=1

[slinkerwink]

1. good on Martin!

[Ian David]

2. Someone forgot to bribe their FCC minders this week! n/t

[countmyvote4real]

3. Still plenty of time for that. n/t

[colonel odis]

10. my thoughts exactly. they need to pony up a little more $$$$$

[hendo]

4. wierd.

I have never run into that problem.

[LaStrega]

5. Me neither ... anyway if it is indeed happening then bravo FCC n/t

[Hawkeye-X]

6. Comcast is dead to me - as of 6/8/08

Went Qwest (who is for net neutrality and against FISA), and haven't looked back since...

Hawkeye-X

[slampoet]

7. Vote on enforcing? Can you imagine if your local cop or DA had to hold a vote to pull you over ?

[shawsheen]

8. Net Neutrality now!

From time to time ISPs need to be reminded they are just dumb but efficient data pipes.

[dmr]

9. I think this is a ruse

We want net neutrality - something they say we don't need. Now here's PROOF that net neutrality isn't needed because the system works!

Later on, on another day, next year, or perhaps when the pugs are a majority again, they'll slip in a nasty pro-telcom bill - most likely it'll be buried deep inside an urgent, time-limited, budget bill.

They're just biding their time. They've done it before and they'll do it again.

I don't trust any of them.

[TheModernTerrorist]

11. OMG!!

Someone hurry up and give these folks retroactive immunity!!!!

[Robb]

12. Man. This is so un-complicated, really

ISP offers unlimited service, then they limit it.

Either build the infrastructure to handle torrents, or change your pricing. Of course, if you go to door number 2, we're all gonna bail on you for the better deal.

These corps scream "market market market" until they start to fail. It's not our fault you've gotten fat and top-heavy over the years.

Consumer demands change. Evolve with it or die, Comcast.

[onehandle]

13. Fine and prosecute them.

We pay extra for an extra fast connection for my wife's work.

They are slowing our connection. We know it.

Fuck them.