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05.07.10 FCC Looking For More Power To Regulate ISPs  By John VinsonIt has been a little over a month since Comcast won it's court battle against the FCC. A U.S. Court of Appeals decided the FCC had no authority to restrict Comcast from blocking users trying to access P2P services. Now, the FCC is striking back and looking to gain more authority for establishing rules to help regulate ISPs. It appears Genachowski, FCC chairman isn't giving up easily, after the court's initial decision back in April. The plan is to work with other members of the FCC to help push through legislation which would give the FCC the power it needs to regulate ISPs. The FCC isn't alone either as three huge websites are backing net neutrality: Google, Amazon, and EBay. With these sites coming down on the FCC's side of net neutrality, it poses an interesting scenario. What could come of the content providers butting heads with the ISPs? I don't think they'll be blocking any site anytime soon, but this scenario does present interesting conflicts later on. As with all regulation of it's kind, there have been two camps people have fallen under. Those who support the FCC's stance on regulation, and those who oppose it. Republican commissioners have stated the proposal is alarming in that it's venturing away from the bipartisanship of the commission. Comcast has already responded to the FCC's plans, stating they believe harsher regulations will stifle investment and innovation. Other companies' have spoken up, and they're stating that competition is what will keep each other in line from making bad decisions. Markham Erickson, of Open Internet Coalition stated, The decision will "ensure consumers are fully protected against blocking or degradation of websites and applications of their choice by broadband providers." One interesting option being tossed around is to use the rules which govern telephone use to regulate providers. Many believe doing so would help keep from having regulation tied up in courts. On the flip side, Republicans and the ISPs believe the idea to be a mistake. Attaching the telephone laws to the internet would stifle progress, and many have said the rules could lead to disastrous consequences. The battle between the FCC and ISPs is far from over. Just as Comcast won their court battle last month, the FCC is ready to reload and get back to where they believe they need to be. All the while, it's the consumers caught in the crossfire. Here's hoping huge strides can be made soon for all involved. About the Author: John is a staff writer for WebProNews. |
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