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List:       dmca-discuss
Subject:    [DMCA_Discuss] Declan: Hardware Firms Oppose "Net Neutrality" Laws
From:       Seth Johnson <seth.johnson () realmeasures ! dyndns ! org>
Date:       2006-05-18 15:51:00
Message-ID: 446C97E4.8427A7D () RealMeasures ! dyndns ! org
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> http://news.com.com/Hardware+firms+oppose+Net+neutrality+laws/2100-1028_3-6073629.html?tag=nefd.top
> 


Hardware firms oppose Net neutrality laws


By Declan McCullagh

Staff Writer, CNET News.com

Published: May 17, 2006, 6:10 PM PDT


The political debate in Washington over the concept known as Net
neutrality just became a lot more complicated.

Some of the largest hardware makers in the world, including 3M,
Cisco, Corning and Qualcomm, sent a letter to Congress on
Wednesday firmly opposing new laws mandating Net neutrality--the
concept that broadband providers must never favor some Web sites
or Internet services over others.

That view directly conflicts with what many software and Internet
companies have been saying for the last few months. Led by
Amazon.com, Google, Microsoft and Yahoo, those companies have
been spending millions of dollars to lobby for stiff new laws
prohibiting broadband providers from rolling out two-tier
networks.

"It is premature to attempt to enact some sort of network
neutrality principles into law now," says the letter, which was
signed by 34 companies and sent to House Majority Leader Dennis
Hastert and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. "Legislating in the
absence of real understanding of the issue risks both solving the
wrong problem and hobbling the rapidly developing new
technologies and business models of the Internet with rigid,
potentially stultifying rules."

The letter even goes so far as to applaud a committee vote in the
House of Representatives on April 26, in which Net neutrality
proponents--largely Democrats--lost by a wide margin. "We are
pleased that the committee rejected attempts to add so-called
'network neutrality' provisions to the bill," it says.

Even though many of the letter's signers are suppliers to
telecommunications companies, it still is likely to help stall
efforts to advance Net neutrality--which a Democratic senator
said last week would be debated in the Senate.

Net neutrality proponents say the legislation approved by the
House committee doesn't go far enough to target possible errant
behavior by AT&T, Verizon Communications and other broadband
providers, and could try to add amendments during a floor vote. A
"Save the Internet" coalition has even been created and boasts
members such as the left-leaning Moveon.org, the American Library
Association and the libertarian-conservative group Gun Owners of
America.

The groups say the Federal Communications Commission must be
given power to regulate broadband providers that might want to do
things like charging content providers extra for the privilege of
faster delivery or other preferential treatment.

For their part, major broadband providers have repeatedly pledged
not to block traffic or censor Web sites. Instead, they say, it
will only be economically feasible to invest in higher-speed
links if some bandwidth can be reserved for paid content. Also,
they argue, the FCC has already taken action against violations
of Net neutrality, so no new laws are necessary.

_______________________________________________

USC Title 17 Sec. 107. - Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use 

This material is distributed to those who have expressed a prior interest in \
receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

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