ISPs ignore Stanford hearing on network neutrality
In hopes of enriching the Network Neutrality debate, the FCC and Stanford hosted a Network Neutrality hearing. With a significant contingent of people at Stanford who side with the telecommunications companies against Network Neutrality in addition to the FCC and people who support it, the hope was for a hearing representing both sides of the argument. Instead, the invited telecommunications companies, AT&T, Comcast, Verizon and Time Warner, all ignored the event completely.
FCC Commissioner Tate opened the hearing by stating: ‘Consumers have come to expect and will continue to demand the open and neutral character that has always been the hallmark of the Internet. The Commission is currently examining several petitions and complaints according to which broadband providers have intentionally and secretly degraded applications in a way that undermines the open and interconnected character of the Internet.’”
The hearing was the second event about Network Neutrality hosted by the FCC. The first, held at Harvard Law School, made headlines when Comcast paid squatters to keep Network Neutrality supporters out of the available seats. It seems this time the telecommunications companies are hoping that sticking their heads in the sand will make the issue go away. That’s just wishful thinking on the part of the major ISPs, as a neutral internet is essential.
The telecommunications companies have had the attention of the FCC since Comcast was busted for throttling torrents, and later for browser limiting. The FCC has come out in favor of network neutrality, and seems to be working to ensure that network neutrality remains the standard. The battle now lies with Congress and the courts. With a variety of bill in the House and Senate that include provisions about network neutrality and a variety of cases in the courts that have facets of network neutrality in them, the end game is anyone’s guess. For more on the network neutrality issue, go SaveTheInternet.
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