Obama FCC Caves On Net Neutrality

An anonymous reader writes "...the rule, which will be voted on during tomorrow's FCC meeting, falls drastically short of earlier pledges by President Obama and the FCC Chairman to protect the free and open Internet. The rule is so riddled with loopholes that it's become clear that this FCC chairman crafted it with the sole purpose of winning the endorsement of AT&T and cable lobbyists, and not defending the interests of the tens of millions of Internet users."

Re:Why would the Chair sellout?

[jbeaupre]

Your assumption is wrong: http://www.fcc.gov/commissioners/genachowski/biography.html [fcc.gov]

Re:Pitchforks

[Pojut]

The "all packets must be treated equally, no exceptions" version. You know...what Net Neutrality actually means.

Re:What a suprise

[scubamage]

As someone who works for a telephony carrier, I can tell you for a fact that you we DO to handle QoS as well as the user. Its a regulatory requirement in the USA. First, most of the time any QoS markings placed on either a traditional or voip call get wiped out at the first hop, because users otherwise would start marking themselves as higher priority than other users. It's a basic security concern mentioned in most network books when they describe QoS. Then after you strip off that stuff, you usually start using DSCP markers and MPLS, and above that you've got routing decisions to go with different carriers to reach the destination based on the cost to use their lines. All of these decisions get modified when its an emergency call. And yes, those calls do get misrouted sometimes; and there's hell to pay for it. Just like any other regulatory call.

Re:Obama is a complete and utter failure

[jandersen]

Although, I still have to chuckle at all the passionate supporters at campaign time. They really were convinced he'd reinvent america, now with more unicorns and rainbows.

You sound like such a bitter person. And why is it that Obama can't get anything done? Is it because his plans are all wrong-headed? Or is it because no matter what he attempts, there is a group of reactionaries that going to be against no matter what and no matter what lies and other indecencies they need to commit? America has become so poisonous that even if the Messiah appeared in his full glory with the angels dancing in the sky, he would be unable to do a thing, because he had the wrong shade of opinion about gays or whatever. Against stupidity the gods themselves labor in vain.

common carrier rules not new

[Anonymous Coward]

To all of you saying that the telecoms paid for installing their nets and therefore should be able to charge customers differentially based on what they want to do, we experienced this before. In the 1800's, railroads paid for installing tracks around the country, then proceeded to play nasty games and were forced to be neutral by congress. This is not new. See here: http://www.bengarvey.com/2010/08/net-neutrality-and-the-railroad-business/

Re:Unsurprising...

[Attila Dimedici]

The financial meltdown happened because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (quais-governmental organizations) were taking actions which implied that certain risky actions were being guaranteed against failure by the government. The way that government regulation encouraged banks and other financial institutions to take risky actions is complicated, but if you trace the actions of various government agents you can see how they lead to the problem.
Sorry, I've already paid for that bridge thanks to the government that you think doesn't have enough power.