Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced today new Net Neutrality” rules that would require carriers to deliver broadband in a non-discriminatory manner and to disclose their network management policies in a transparent manner.
While the FCC is a US-only entity, fact of the matter is that “control” over the internet lies within the US, so whatever the FCC decides, it will affect the rest of the world as well the USENET and subsequent newsgroups.
The principle of Net Neutrality dictates that all Web traffic should be treated equally by Internet access providers, and has been a source of contention since the Internet’s inception decades ago. So far, the Web has been largely self-regulated, as well as the USENET.
The Net neutrality debate pits large Internet providers like AT&T and Comcast against content and application providers like Google and Skype that rely on those connections to deliver their Web pages and programs to consumers.
Genachowski proposed that the commission adopt the four principles previously laid out by former Chairman Michael Powell in 2004, known as the “Four Freedoms,” as well as two new principles he believes should be added to the list. Those are:
- Freedom to access legal content
- Freedom to use applications of the users’ choice
- Freedom to attach personal devices to connections in users’ homes
- Freedom to obtain service plan information
- Non-discrimination: Broadband providers cannot discriminate against particular Internet content or applications
- Transparency: Providers must be transparent about network management practices
“[Service providers] cannot block or degrade lawful traffic over their networks or pick winners by favoring some content or applications over others in the connection to subscribers’ homes,” Genachowski said. “Nor can they disfavor an Internet service just because it competes with a similar service offered by that broadband provider. The Internet must continue to allow users to decide what content and applications succeed.”
Internet providers argue that they should be free to block or manage content that taxes their networks, unhindered by any regulation, while content providers like Google say that selective blocking is unfair and stymies innovation.
Genachowski said that he will begin work on implementing the new rules during the FCC’s meeting next month. If enacted, likely by a 3-2 party-line vote at the FCC’s October meeting, the rules would prevent the carriers from deliberately blocking or slowing some types of Internet traffic. The FCC has launched a new website, OpenInternet.gov, to encourage input from the public.
Newsgroups dedicated to wireless technologies note that Genachowski signaled that wireless providers should be included in the FCC’s efforts to make traffic flow freely, in much the same way that wired networks are compelled to provide open and transparent service. With wireless networks increasingly becoming more robust, the status of open wireless service grows more important daily.
The wireless situation may become increasingly sensitive because the major wireless carriers can stress that they have already paid out billions to the FCC for their spectrum.
Mwenyekiti wa Tume ya Mawasiliano ya Shirikisho Julius Genczowski alitangaza leo sheria mpya za Net Neutrality ambazo zitataka waendeshaji kutoa mtandao wa upana kwa njia isiyo ya ubaguzi na kufunua sera zao za usimamizi wa mtandao kwa njia ya uwazi. "Wakati FCC ni ""mwenyeji wa Marekani tu,"" ukweli wa jambo ni kwamba ""udhibiti"" juu ya mtandao iko ndani ya Marekani, hivyo chochote FCC anaamua, itakuwa na athari kwa sehemu nyingine ya dunia kama vile USENET na newsgroups baadaye." Kanuni ya Net Neutrality inaamuru kwamba trafiki yote ya Mtandao inapaswa kutibiwa sawa na watoa huduma za mtandao, na imekuwa chanzo cha utata tangu kuanzishwa kwa mtandao miongo kadhaa iliyopita. Hadi sasa, Mtandao umekuwa kwa kiasi kikubwa kujidhibiti, kama vile USENET. Mjadala wa utatuzi wa mtandao unawasilisha watoa huduma kubwa za mtandao kama AT&T na Comcast dhidi ya watoa huduma za yaliyomo na programu kama Google na Skype ambao hutegemea uhusiano huo kutoa kurasa zao za wavuti na programu kwa watumiaji. "Genachowski aliwasilisha pendekezo la kuanzisha Tume ya Ulaya, na kuanzisha kanuni nne zilizowekwa na mwenyekiti wa zamani wa Tume Michael Powell mnamo 2004, ""uhuru nne,"" pamoja na kanuni mbili mpya ambazo anaamini zinapaswa kuongezwa kwenye orodha hiyo." "Hiyo ni: Uhuru wa kupata maudhui ya kisheria, Uhuru wa kutumia maombi ya uchaguzi wa watumiaji, Uhuru wa kuunganisha vifaa vya kibinafsi kwenye uhusiano katika nyumba za watumiaji, Uhuru wa kupata habari ya mpango wa huduma, Usimamizi wa ubaguzi, watoaji wa mtandao wa upana hawawezi kutofautisha maudhui au maombi fulani juu ya mengine katika uhusiano na wateja, ""Genachowski alisema." <unk>Wala hawawezi kupinga huduma ya mtandao kwa sababu tu inashindana na huduma kama hiyo inayotolewa na mtoa huduma huyo wa mtandao mpana. "Watoa huduma za mtandao wanasema kwamba wanapaswa kuwa huru kuzuia au kusimamia maudhui ambayo yanazidi mitandao yao, bila kizuizi chochote, wakati watoa huduma kama vile Google wanasema kwamba kuzuia kwa kuchagua ni haki na huzuia ubunifu. """ Gennadowski amesema ataanza kazi ya kutekeleza sheria hizo mpya wakati wa mkutano wa FCC mwezi ujao. Ikiwa itaidhinishwa, labda kwa kura ya 3-2 katika mkutano wa Oktoba wa FCC, sheria hizo zitawazuia waendeshaji kuzuia au kupunguza baadhi ya aina za trafiki ya mtandao. FCC imezindua tovuti mpya, OpenInternet.gov, ili kuhamasisha maoni kutoka kwa umma. "Genachowski alisema, ""Watoa huduma za wireless wanapaswa kuingizwa katika juhudi za FCC za kufanya trafiki iende kwa uhuru, kwa njia ile ile ambayo mitandao ya waya inalazimika kutoa huduma ya wazi na ya uwazi.""" Pamoja na mitandao ya wireless inazidi kuwa imara zaidi, hali ya huduma ya wireless ya wazi inakua muhimu zaidi kila siku. "Mtazamo wa FCC ni kwamba ""hali ya wireless inaweza kuwa nyeti zaidi kwa sababu waendeshaji wakuu wa wireless wanaweza kusisitiza kwamba tayari wamelipa mabilioni kwa FCC kwa spectrum yao."""