'Net neutrality' rules for fair internet access win in court

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

  1. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
       #1

    'Net neutrality' rules for fair internet access win in court


    WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld the government's "net neutrality" rules, preserving regulations that force internet providers such as Comcast and AT&T to treat all online traffic — everything from Netflix and cat videos to games and downloads — equally.
    The 2-1 ruling is a sweeping victory for the Obama administration and the consumer groups and internet companies that have pushed net neutrality for years. The Federal Communications Commission's rules block internet service providers from favoring their own services and disadvantaging others; blocking other sites and apps; and creating "fast lanes" for video and other data services that pay for the privilege.

    On technical grounds, the ruling upholds the FCC's authority to regulate broadband service as a utility, much like phone service, and to forbid what it considers unreasonable practices. It applies equally to wired broadband providers like cable companies and mobile ones such as Verizon.
    TOUGHER REGULATION DOWN THE ROAD
    The net neutrality rules have been in effect since June, and the court's decision isn't going to change how the internet works tomorrow. But the FCC has already been taking some steps that would change how broadband providers act. The ruling could pave the way for tougher restrictions on cable and phone companies that affect what services they offer, which consumer data they can use and how, and what they can charge.
    The providers who filed the lawsuit say they'll appeal.
    Source
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 2,047
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64-BIT
       #2

    What does this mean? Can anyone make it more simpler?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 9,600
    Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
       #3

    RoasterMen said:
    What does this mean? Can anyone make it more simpler?
    It means the FCC can now regulate internet providers as utilities, same as telephone providers, TV and radio broadcasters, etc. As much as detest government regulation, most internet providers in the U.S. have been abusing their coverage monopolies and need to be regulated since they have proven they will not regulate themselves.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 350
    Windows 7 Pro x64
       #4

    RoasterMen said:
    What does this mean? Can anyone make it more simpler?
    Just another government takeover, under the guise of doing it for our own good, claiming it will make it cheaper and/or better for everyone. The problem is, when the government does that, it usually gets worse instead of better. It becomes more expensive and/or decreases the supply. Then they blame it on something other than themselves so they can expand their own control to fix the problems they themselves created. It's like a cat chasing it's tail, and we're the losers.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 9
    Windows 7 64-bit
       #5

    I hope that this doesn't happen in the UK.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 9,600
    Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
       #6

    Dallas 7 said:
    RoasterMen said:
    What does this mean? Can anyone make it more simpler?
    Just another government takeover, under the guise of doing it for our own good, claiming it will make it cheaper and/or better for everyone. The problem is, when the government does that, it usually gets worse instead of better. It becomes more expensive and/or decreases the supply. Then they blame it on something other than themselves so they can expand their own control to fix the problems they themselves created. It's like a cat chasing it's tail, and we're the losers.
    You are either young or have a short memory. I can remember when there was basically only one telephone company and it was also the long distance carrier (all were owned by AT&T). The company advertised that they may be the only phone company in town but they didn't act like it; it was actually the opposite that was true. You weren't allowed to own your own phones—you had to rent them from the phone company and the choices were very limited—and you paid an extra charge for each extra phone you had. Even once the government forced the phone companies to allow people to own their own phones, they were limited to only four with additional charges for each additional phone (there was a cheat around that; just disable the ringers on the additional phones and pray you didn't get caught) until the government stepped in and removed that restriction.

    It took the FCC and Congress to break up that massive monopoly, forming the so-called Baby
    Bells, and get them to relax a lot of their restrictive rules that were preventing progress. Telephone rates gradually went down, service generally improved, restrictions on owning one's own phones were gradually eliminated, etc., a lot of that achieved by allowing competition to come in.

    When I moved into my present home, over 20 years ago, there was one phone company, period. I now have a choice of two actual landline phone companies (I celebrated when I was able to tell the former Baby Bell to take a hike), far more if you include wireless and VOIP options (I'm now using Straight Talk's Home Connect service that uses the Verizon cellphone network). Instead of being limited to only four phones, the only limitation is dependent on the hardware one uses. All this is thanks to government regulation.

    As I said before, I do not like government regulation because it generally tries to "fix what ain't broke". In this case, same as it was with the telephone company, the internet provider industry is "broke" and needs "fixin'" and, since there isn't enough competition to force the industry to clean up its own act, the government is having to step in and do it. I personally feel it is long overdue!
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Hi,
    The last part of that quote pretty much sums it up
    Prices will go up and in anything government overseen project it will take a long time to flatten out prices.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 9,600
    Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
       #8

    ThrashZone said:
    Hi,
    The last part of that quote pretty much sums it up
    Prices will go up and in anything government overseen project it will take a long time to flatten out prices.
    And yet the overall cost of telephone service went down when the government started actually regulating it. You all have short memories.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 20,583
    Win-7-Pro64bit 7-H-Prem-64bit
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Hi
    It took time costs didn't drop over night.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 191
    Windows 7 Home Premium bit
       #10

    RoasterMen said:
    What does this mean? Can anyone make it more simpler?
    Now they can 'de-regulate' it and give these companys free rein to do & charge whatever they want, whenever they want.

    One post here said something about the phone co de-reg lowering costs, well, I donno, not in my neck of the woods.

    -c-
      My Computer


 
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

  Related Discussions
Our Sites
Site Links
About Us
Windows 7 Forums is an independent web site and has not been authorized, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Microsoft Corporation. "Windows 7" and related materials are trademarks of Microsoft Corp.

© Designer Media Ltd
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:39.
Find Us