The revised telecom reform bill introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) does not contain new net neutrality provisions, despite Stevens’ stated willingness to beef up this section of the draft legislation. The bill still has its provision that requires only that the FCC “study” the matter.
The game isn’t over yet. There’s still some negotiating to do.
Nevertheless, a committee aide said Stevens is open to fortifying those provisions, which would govern the ability of cable and telecom providers to control the content flowing over their high-speed Internet lines.
The new bill also contains a host of tweaks and one big red-flag. In terms of the tweaks, it asks the incumbent telcos to report to report to the FCC within three years where they are building video distribution systems, a nod toward the cable industry which wants a full-fledged build-out requirement. But it does say that a phone company that receives funds from the universal service fund for broadband deployment must offer that service to the entire rural community it serves.
The red-flag: the bill contains a provision proposed by Commerce Co-Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) that stipulates a video flag designed to thwart unauthorized video distribution over the Internet.
Cynthia Brumfield at 9:18 AM|Comments(0)
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