Fergie's Tech Blog

Update: Net Neutrality Provision Voted Down

Big money, special interests.

Grant Gross writes on InfoWorld:

Internet companies and consumer groups calling for a new U.S. law that would prohibit broadband providers from blocking or degrading some connections lost a major battle Wednesday when a U.S. House of Representatives committee voted down such a provision.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee, during debate on a telecommunications reform bill, rejected an amendment that would write so-called net neutrality provisions into U.S. law. Backers of a net neutrality law want Congress to prohibit U.S. broadband providers from blocking or slowing their customers' connections to Web sites or services that compete with services offered by the providers.

The committee rejected the amendment, on a vote of 34-22, largely along party lines, with all but one Republican opposing the net neutrality amendment offered by Representative Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat.

posted by Fergie @ 4/26/2006 05:19:00 PM