WebProNews

Internet's Possible Future in the US Gets Ready to Be Decided

Update: The meeting ended and the rule making process will move forward after a unanimous vote. The rules say a provider of broadband Internet access service:

Google, Facebook and Twitter Address Net Neutrality

The Open Internet Coalition , which is a group of consumers, grassroots organizations, and businesses "promoting consumer choice and economic growth through an open Internet," has sent an open letter to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski, supporting open Internet rules. The coalition itself includes a large list of well-known web companies and sites. Companies with founders and CEOs signing the letter include:

FCC's Net Neutrality Site Gets a Blog

Last month when FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave a speech on Net Neutrality, the FCC also launched OpenInternet.gov. The site is described as the following:

FCC Proposes Net Neutrality Protection Plan

This morning FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski gave a speech, detailing a proposal for keeping the Internet open for access to consumers, and protecting net neutrality. The proposal would prevent ISPs from discriminating against certain services, apps, or viewpoints on the web. It would also require those ISPs to be transparent about their network management practices.

Google Solicits National Broadband Plan Ideas

It's probably not much of a stretch to suggest that the average WebProNews reader spends more than half of his waking hours in front of a computer.  The National Broadband Plan is liable to affect you, then, and if you'd like to shape it, Google's giving you a chance. Here's a quick refresher before we get to the new development: the National Broadband Plan is something the FCC is supposed to submit to Congress by February of next year.  The goal of the Plan is to make high-speed Internet access more common in the U.S.

Democrats Letting Net Neutrality Die

Here was what was supposed to happen: With telco-friendly Republican Congress members swept out of the way, Democrats would usher in legislation enshrining Network Neutrality principles and give the FCC the power to enforce them. Here’s what happened (is happening) instead: The most powerful Net Neutrality supporters (Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton) are kicked upstairs while cable-and-Hollywood-friendly Democrats are killing Network Neutrality legislation in committees.

AT&T Versus The Future

If consumers and competition win, there will eventually be no dividing line between your phones (mobile and home line), your computer, your Internet access, and your TV. Ideally, it all merges into one, consumers have a choice of providers of all those services, and the providers do nothing but provide access. You can attach whatever you like that doesn’t harm the network. You can download anything legal. You can use whichever service available.

EU Study Disputes Market's Ability To Enforce Net Neutrality

A study sponsored by Dailymotion, eBay, Skype, and Google and YouTube of European Internet users showed that 91 percent expect their ISPs not to block or limit their Internet service and that all legitimate websites and applications receive similar treatment.

Experts Predict Doom For New Walled Gardens

Wired.com loudly reminded everyone a little over a week ago about ESPN’s deal with specific ISPs to license ESPN360 content.

ESPN360 Ushers In Cable-ization Of The Internet

Imagine a world where you want to watch videos on, say, Hulu.com, but you are unable to because Hulu has an exclusive deal with TimeWarner. If you want Hulu, and a premium package of websites that includes the New York Times, Yahoo, and iTunes, you can only find them on TimeWarner.