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Key Net Neutrality Amendment Defeated

By Andrew McLaughlin | April 26th, 2006 Interest Level: SMOKING HOT


us capitol buildingA key amendment in favor of Net Neutrality proposed by the Democrat Ed Markey from Delaware was defeated today by a vote of 34 to 22 (via CNET). The amendment had pretty strong language that outright made it illegal for ISPs to create a tiered internet to guaranteed preferential treatment for a fee. There were some provisions in the telecommunications bill that passed related to the issue of Net Neutrality. Specifically, the bill gives the FCC the right to investigate and govern over any violation of neutrality.

There is still a chance that a further revision to the amendment will be proposed and review by the US Senate. It’s not clear how this defeat will impact the momentum of Net Neutrality advocates. If you still aren’t sure why this is important to you as an internet consumer, take a look at our earlier post outlining the key points. There is a great video overview of the issues and concerns on this topic. That is, assuming your internet provider is still letting you download videos.

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  • Interesting article that sheds more light on the topic and points out who the winner and losers are in all this.




    Network Neutrality: Startups and IT vendors have most to lose






    I recently wrote a post arguing that Google, Yahoo and all the other online giants have put up a half-hearted defense of Internet neutrality because they have a lot to gain from the absence of neutrality.





    The tech giants that have the most to gain from net neutrality are not the web services companies but the infrastructure providers such as Cisco Systems, Intel, Sun Microsystems, IBM, EMC, Dell and Hewlett-Packard. And it is puzzling why they are so quiet on this issue.





    If the Telcos and cable TV companies are allowed control the choke point--the last mile connection into the digital home then that cuts out competition. Without competition you have far fewer infrastructure builders.
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