Tom Wheeler tweaks net neutrality plan after Google push

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has made some last-minute revisions to his net neutrality plan after Google and public interest groups pressed for the changes, according to sources at the commission.

Google, Free Press and New America’s Open Technology Institute last week asked the commission to revise language they said could unintentionally allow Internet service providers to charge websites for sending content to consumers. Such a scenario could open the door to an avalanche of new fees for Web companies and threaten their business models.

Google executives on Feb. 19 called aides to Wheeler and staffers for the FCC’s two other Democratic commissioners — Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel — to make their case, according to a company disclosure. Clyburn has been the most vocal proponent of the revisions inside the commission, the sources said.

The exact scope of the language changes — which came to light a day before the FCC is scheduled to vote on the rules — wasn’t immediately clear. They do not appear to alter the main thrust of Wheeler’s proposed order, which would regulate broadband like a public utility to ensure Internet providers treat all Web traffic equally. The commission’s Democratic majority is expected to approve the order over objections of Republicans who say the rules are heavy handed and will harm investment.

> This thing is full of “unintended” consequences, just like every other thrown together to see what sticks Obama idea.

This is clearly a Soros idea that Obama is being paid to make happen. I think Soros gives Obama vast sums of cash to bribe other officials / Senators / Congressmen. And not just on Net Neutrality either. Soros knows damn well that if you control the Internet you can control and censor content which eventually equates to what people think. It also gives you vast surveillance capabiliies and control of a large segment of commerce. And the ones doing the surveilling? They’ll be exempt and protected of course.

All of you free internet people have lost your mind. First of all the internet was not even invented by a business. We all own the internet. ISP’s are only the gateway, they have built the infrastructure to access it. Thus we pay a fee to them for that connectivity. For monopolies to decide which websites we can access and how fast we can access them is akin to allowing your local gas or power company to charge you whatever they want. Supply and demand means nothing when you will literally freeze to death because the monopoly will charge whatever people can afford and that’s basically everything you have when it comes to life or death. The public utility makes a ton of sense because again they are only the gateway between us and a publicly owned distribution system.

Sorry AJ, but I have to remove your illusions.

First of all, there is no public infrastructure.

"the gateway between us and a publicly owned distribution system."

The entire internet, the backbone included, is privately owned and operated.

As far as I can tell there are AT LEAST 4 primary backbone carriers...big stuff. Multiple 10gbs channels on 100gbs fiber strands via DWDM. All they do is move bits. They charge other companies to hook up to them so that they can deliver their bits. They charge per bit. Every bit is the same.

Then there are access providers. There are at least 4 big ones who have the bulk of customers/consumers...but there's at least 100 of them nationwide. They plow the access media to the house...fiber or copper or wireless. They are almost universally regulated already. Each is generally and mostly a locally regulated utility with and exclusive territory...at least when the media first wen into the gournd.

Then there are the content providers. The big ones connect to the backbone at speeds that dwarf the typical access provider. Think Amazon, Google, Yahoo, Apple...several other premier properties. But there are also well-used smaller properties like FR, Drudge, Breitbart etc.

The issue that drove "Net Neutrality" and in fact gave the whole concept a name is this: The Backbone Providers got together and proposed to some of the leading content providers (particularly Netflix) a NEW service, one that would drive the cable companies (see access providers) out of business eventually. They proposed they could, with the newest, expensive technology, ensure a particular throughput, and a CONSISTENT throughput through the backbone with a Quality of Service, Service.

Because it cost 100's of millions to deploy nationwide...maybe billions...they saw no reason not to derive revenue from a large scale capital investment. And, of note, Netflix was perfectly willing to pay for this enhanced service as it would be a boon to their business model.

But all the other content providers freaked out and go worried that they, too, would have to pay to receive ENHANCED service, and therefore COMPETE.

So they got together and lobbied the government to take over the internet.

Because of ignorant people like you.

Since you want to rewrite history why don’t you tell us where the internet came from when it first started.

But for everyone else the internet wasn’t invented and patented by a company.

I’m not sure where you getting your info on netflix, They paid Comcast but screamed all the way,

Lastly, I don’t want monopolies having the power to pick winners and losers with content. They want more money they can stick it to me.

You aren’t about competition you are about monopolies using their power to pick content winners and losers by fostering anti competitive behavior. It will be an innovative company like Tesla not allowed to their cars outside of dealer network because anti-competitve laws were set up by a powerful industry to rig the game. That’s exactly what we will have without net neutrality

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