Fergie's Tech Blog

Web Heavy-Hitters and User Advocates to Argue in Senate

Tom Abate and Verne Kopytoff write on SFGate.com:

Should everyone's information travel over the Internet's digital highways at the same speed? Or should the firms that own those roadways be able to collect tolls from those willing to pay more to avoid traffic jams?

Those questions will be at the core of testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee today, with consumer advocates arguing that Congress should protect the Internet's open traditions while network providers counter that they should be free to charge for speedier delivery of video and voice traffic.

The hearing will revolve around a concept called "network neutrality," the idea that traffic on the Internet should flow as democratically as possible. Consumer advocates -- with support from Internet heavyweights such as Google and Microsoft -- want Congress to regulate when and how network providers charge extra for providing faster, or preferential, delivery.

posted by Fergie @ 2/07/2006 06:27:00 AM