Friday, June 30, 2006

Net Neutrality Rejected By U.S. Senate Commerce Committee

The U.S. Senate Caves In To Big Communications Companies and Their Financial Influence

What does it mean? The Big communications companies that deliver internet services will be able to double and triple charge and will be given the right to regulate the internet....limiting speeds and access as they see fit. The issue of Communications has always been regulated by the government, via Congress and the FCC, to keep companies from engaging in unfair Trade practices.

This also means that larger favorable companies will be given the priviledge of better access, while small businesses will be limited. The consumers are the losers. Businesses that offer music and video over the internet will be most affected. Especially the smaller companies.

Hopefully a future Congress will act on this issue...and make net neutrality the law....giving everyone an even playing field throughout the internet.

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'Net Neutrality' Amendment Rejected

Senate Committee Approves Telecom Bill, but Republicans May Need More Votes

By Kim Hart and Sara Kehaulani Goo
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, June 29, 2006


A proposal to prevent Internet service providers from charging Web firms more for faster service to consumers failed yesterday to clear a Senate committee.

The vote was a setback for such companies as Google Inc., Yahoo Inc. and Skype Technologies which had pushed for rules that would prohibit telecommunications companies from controlling the flow of online content. The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee took up the matter as part of a larger telecommunications bill, which passed 15 to 7. But some telecom experts said the party-line, 11 to 11 vote on "net neutrality" could signal a tougher fight to get the larger telecom bill passed on the Senate floor.

Continue here...

Additional report from the BBC.

PREVIOUS BLOG ENTRIES ON THIS ISSUE

1. Are We About to Lose The Internet As We Know It?

2. Fair Access At Stake

3. Amy Goodman reports on Net Neutrality

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