Skip Links

Network World

Net Neutrality

Toshiba announces unified messaging product
Today we'll cover announcements from Toshiba with a unified messaging product targeting small/midsize businesses; from Mitel about an applications suite upgrade; and from a reader who commented earlier this month about our opinion pieces on net neutrality.
The Craziness Pandemic, Part II
Last week I began documenting the pandemic of craziness that is sweeping the globe. This week, our attention turns to the United States where the net neutrality furor continues unabated with a huge outbreak of craziness being added to the mix.
In search of a 'best effort' Internet
Today we propose one alternative that could both maintain net neutrality and solve a looming crisis as more Internet users send and receive bandwidth intensive content. Namely, service providers should offer consumer-centric VPNs with multiple service classes in tandem with equal access to a "best...
Is a neutral net within the power of the FCC?
Questioning whether new FCC network neutrality rulemaking process produces a legally supportable set of rules
No such thing as free Internet bandwidth
Today, we weigh in with our opinion on the net neutrality debate — and we begin by saying we have not changed our original opinion in favor of net neutrality even in a wireless environment. However, we'd also like to qualify what we think is fair and what isn't —and offer a suggestion on an...
FCC to regulate net neutrality
The U. S. Federal Communications Commission has announced that it will move beyond principles and policy statements to formally regulate net neutrality. The process will begin with requests for public comments on six principles the FCC intends to codify; comments are due on Jan. 14, 2010, while...
FCC takes first step toward net neutrality rules
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has taken the first step toward creating formal net neutrality rules, despite a huge lobbying effort from opposing groups in recent days.
FAQ: What's the FCC vote on net neutrality all about?
The FCC has approved a notice of proposed rule making on the subject of net neutrality, and here are a few questions and answers to help shine a light on what that means.
Google, Verizon issue joint statement on network neutrality
Google, Verizon issue joint statement regarding network neutrality rules proposed by the FCC.
What happens in an FCC rulemaking proceeding?
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted to approve a notice of proposed rulemaking on new net neutrality regulations. But what does that mean, exactly?
Anxiety over net neutrality grips Supercomm
Carriers, vendors at Supercomm express reservations, worry about new FCC proposed rules on net neutrality
Verizon chief trashes net neutrality
With the Federal Communications Commission due to vote on new net neutrality rules tomorrow, Verizon Communications CEO Ivan Seidenberg warned the commission against passing rules barring carriers from favoring certain types of content.
AT&T throws support behind FCC chairman
Last month, FCC Chairman Genachowski gave a speech at the Brookings Institute that reopened debate on how to manage net neutrality -- especially on mobile networks. In our last newsletter, we presented some reader reactions to the issues so today we'll hear from AT&T in response to Genachowski's...
Readers weigh in on net neutrality
Following up on our recent newsletter about rethinking net neutrality in a mobile broadband context, we heard from newsletter subscribers Paul and Phillip with their views on the issues. Paul wrote us saying, "If we want to protect the democratization of online content, we have to propose and...
One by one, carriers succumb to Google Voice
Ever since its launch this summer, Google Voice has presented carriers with some potentially thorny issues.
Hello net neutrality, goodbye Internet
As the old adage goes, "Be careful what you wish for — you might get it, and wish you hadn't." Proponents of net neutrality might want to keep that in mind now that net neutrality regulations from either the FCC, Congress or both are a virtual certainty.
A revised take on net neutrality
In February 2006, we began a series of articles on net neutrality. In our archived introduction, we noted that there was a difference of opinion about how Internet access providers should offer users access to Internet content. On the one hand, some broadband access providers suggested that they...
Legally arrived at principles for ISPs?
About a year ago I lamented that the FCC supported neutrality on the Internet. Not that I thought carriers should be able to treat customers' traffic unfairly, but the FCC had acted without proper authority. The issue of a lack of authority may be about to be fixed, and if that happens the FCC will...
Will FCC pry iPhone loose from AT&T?
If you're wondering whether FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski finally will pry the iPhone from AT&T's cold dead hands and release it into the wild, you're not alone.
Who will enforce neutrality rules?
By now you likely know about FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski's proposal to turn current net neutrality guidelines into bona fide regulations. Genachowski has implied that net neutrality regulations would apply equally to both mobile and terrestrial broadband access networks, given that they are all...
FCC’s Genachowski gives strong net neutrality endorsement
FCC chairman Julius Genachowski proposed two new rules that would bar carriers from blocking or degrading lawful Web traffic and force carriers to be more open about traffic management practices.
Report: New net neutrality rule coming next week
FCC chairman Julius Genachowski will propose new network neutrality rules during a speech at the Brookings Institute on Monday, the Washington Post reports.
The battle over voice, the war of UC
Last week, I wrote about the possible implications of the new lineup of FCC commissioners. They certainly haven't wasted any time: On Aug. 3, the FCC launched a full-scale investigation into the decision by Apple and AT&T to reject Google's voice application for the iPhone.
The FCC has a full court: What's next?
With the recent swearing-in of the FCC's chair, Democratic Commissioner Julius Genachowski last month, and the Senate approval of the nominations of Democrat Mignon Clyburn and Republican Meredith Attwell Baker as commissioners last week, the FCC is back to its full strength of five commissioners.
AT&T blocks image-sharing site, sparks net neutrality row
AT&T yesterday blocked sections of the popular image-based bulletin board, adding more fuel to the debate over network neutrality.
AT&T says 4chan.org block was DDoS-related
AT&T says that it blocked portions of the popular 4chan.org bulletin board because it was being used as a base to launch DDoS attacks against one of its customers.
U.S. residents call for net-neutrality rules
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission should include net-neutrality rules in a national broadband plan the agency is developing over the next seven months, thousands of U.S. residents have told the FCC.
Net neutrality advocates score big win with broadband stimulus rules
Advocates of network neutrality are cheering Thursday after learning that the federal government will require any applicants to its broadband stimulus funds to maintain nondiscriminatory networks.
Net neutrality: Can we find common ground?
I was chatting with the GSM Association's Director of Technology, Dan Warren, last week when the delicate subject of net neutrality came up. This is an issue that began in the wireline Internet business and has most recently reared its head in U.S. broadband economic stimulus discussions. Is it...
What the U.S. can learn from international net neutrality, broadband policies
Broadband investment, return to common carrier rules could improve U.S. 'Net quality, some experts say.
Cox Communications attracting attention
On the surface it seems like almost exactly the wrong time for the announcement that Cox Communications made on Jan. 27. Cox announced that it was about to start unequal mucking with the Internet traffic of its residential customers. Maybe the Cox folks know something I don't, but it sure seems to...
Google M-Lab provides a window into your ISP
Measuring the speed of your Internet connection and figuring out just how your ISP handles certain types of traffic has always been difficult to do accurately. Now Google, which has always been interested in Net neutrality, is stepping in with a solution to the problem.
Communications change we can believe in?
President Obama has made communications infrastructure a focus of his presidency. Net neutrality and universal broadband are clearly front-and-center on his agenda -- in fact, this may be the first inauguration speech that specifically called out universal broadband. So, does all this add up to --...
FCC questions Comcast's VoIP management protocols
The Federal Communications Commission has issued a letter to Comcast questioning whether the ISP is degrading rival VoIP traffic in favor of its own service.
Bloggers give Obama marching orders for the IT industry
In a roundtable discussion bloggers from Network World and Computerworld expressed their wishes for the new administration including the new federal CTO, net neutrality, use of the BlackBerry and technology education.
FCC: How will changing of the guard impact big telecom issues?
Once Julius Genachowski officially takes over the FCC later this month, he will have to deal with both immediate challenges, such as the impending transition from analog to DTV, as well as more long-term goals, such as deciding whether to impose 'Net neutrality rules and bringing broadband to...
A blueprint for Internet investment
President-elect Barack Obama has been clear that investment in infrastructure — including Internet infrastructure — will be one of his administration’s signature initiatives. That’s excellent news, because the Internet could surely use some focus and investment.
How an Obama FCC will deal with major telecom issues
With new leadership soon to take over at the Federal Communications Commission, observers say the FCC is likely to be more skeptical of big telecom mergers and to embrace network neutrality rules.
Civil liberties group asks Obama for tech changes
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has a lot of work to do on technology issues when he takes office, with changes needed to protect consumer privacy online and to limit government surveillance powers, a privacy and civil liberties advocacy group said Tuesday.
What's an ISP? (That's not a trick question)
As President-elect Barack Obama begins fleshing out his agenda, one promising sign is that he considers Internet infrastructure to be key, judging from both his stated goals and the caliber of people he's asking to advise him on policy.
My 10 tech-related wishes for the Obama administration
10 technology-related wishes for the Obama administration, including an FCC reorganization and a DMCA revision.
Vodafone gives network neutrality a thumbs down
Vodafone doesn't believe network neutrality will work as capacity demands increase, forcing operators to build out faster networks. Instead, a second network is needed, according to David Leftley, head of technology economics at Vodafone Group R&D.
Comcast: Unexplained bandwidth caps
Comcast is in the news again. Over the last few months it seems like a new Comcast-related story has broken every few weeks -- all of them quite bad news for the service provider. The PR people over there sure must be busy.
Comcast sets monthly bandwidth limit for customers
Comcast, the largest provider of cable-based broadband service in the U.S., will limit residential customers to 250 gigabytes of bandwidth a month beginning Oct. 1, the company announced late Thursday.
Buying bandwidth for fun and profit
You've got to hand it to the Canadians. Not only do they come up with great hockey, outstanding comedians and my friend Dave Keck (an up-and-coming science fiction writer) they've also generated one of the most innovative ideas ever for last-mile connectivity.
FCC right to tell Comcast: Hands off
Regular readers of this column know I take a nuanced view when it comes to net neutrality: On one hand, carriers shouldn’t be limiting or blocking traffic based on source, destination or traffic type, with the exception of traffic that clearly represents a hazard to the network or its users (such...
Unhappy the FCC supported net neutrality
A split FCC decided that Comcast had been a bad company when it interfered with specific customer traffic and told it to clean up its act in the future. As a proponent of network neutrality this should make me happy but it does not.
How the FCC's Comcast ruling could affect traffic management
A look at what adopting open Internet principles will mean for Comcast and other ISPs
Carriers look to next US administration
The major U.S. telecommunications carriers aren't sure what to expect from the next presidential administration, but at least one is hoping for a resolution of the Comcast net neutrality issue before President George Bush leaves office.
New Comcast traffic management targets users, not protocols
Comcast announced this week that it will no longer target individual protocols for traffic shaping, and will instead slow Web traffic for individual users who consume a "disproportionate" amount of bandwidth.
Partner Content

Simplify Your Branch Infrastructure

Learn how to simplify your branch infrastructure while dramatically increasing app performance with Citrix Branch Repeater.

Download the Free Info Kit

Next-Gen Load Balancing

Free Guide: "Next Gen Load Balancing: 8 Things You Need to Handle Today's Network Traffic" shows you the functionality needed in your next load balancer.

Download the Free Guide

Accelerate Your Web Apps by up to 5x

Free Guide: "The Secret to Getting Maximum Speed from your Web Applications."' Learn how you can deliver Web apps up to 5x faster.

Download the Free Guide