As the FCC prepares to write into law rules that would allow companies to make "reasonable" purchases of Internet fast lanes, a group of city lawmakers resolved to preserve net neutrality at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Dallas on June 25.
The FCC on May 15 positioned itself to deliver a devastating blow to net neutrality, the idea that all Internet users should have access to the best available speeds. The commission drafted legislation that would allow business to pay for prioritized Internet connections, known as "fast lanes," and now the group of city mayors has taken the FCC up on its invite to engage in discourse on the commission's proposed rules.
"The Internet has thrived because of its openness and equality of access," stated the release from the mayors. "It has spurred great innovation, while providing a level playing field for its users. It allows everyone the same chance to interact, to participate, to compete."
One of the most publicized forms of Internet "fast lanes" has been paid prioritization of Internet transfers, which has been the target of the FCC's proposed regulations. While every Internet subscriber pays for a tier, or class of speed, "fast lanes" grant their users top priority and clear bandwidth for their transfers.
A different sort of "fast lane" entails large companies paying for dedicated infrastructure to support their Internet needs. Instead of contending with other Internet traffic, direct access, or "peering" to an Internet service provider, all but guarantees optimal Internet speeds for the company supported by the infrastructure.
While the FCC's legislation seeks to manage fast lanes, rather than prohibit them, the assembly of mayors have called for an end to subscriber prioritization. The collective at the Dallas conference on June 25 echoed the sentiments expressed by Seattle's and San Francisco's mayors when the pair addressed the FCC's proposed net regulation on June 19.
"We stand for transparency and believe that all data on the Internet should be treated equally, not discriminating or charging differentially by user, content, site, platform, application, type of attached equipment, and modes of communication," the resolution stated. "Innovation relies on free and open Internet that does not allow individual arrangements for priority treatment over broadband Internet access service."
The FCC, in 2010, attempted to enact net neutrality rules, but was beaten back by the court system. Should the commission's current measures hold, which has been the expected outcome, the issue will likely return to the courts.
The FCC has given citizens until July 15 to express their concern on the proposed legislation. Interested parties can make initial comments to the FCC site untul July 15, and follow-up comments until Sept. 10. The FCC is also accepting initial comments via e-mail at openinternet@fcc.gov until July 15 and follow-up comments until Sept. 10.
