[Infowarrior] - FW: DoJ opposes Net Neutrality

[Richard Forno]

(c/o AJR)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070906/ap_on_hi_te/internet_fees_justice_depart
ment

Feds OK fee for priority Web traffic

AP Thu Sep 6, 12:22 PM ET

The Justice Department on Thursday said Internet service providers should be
allowed to charge a fee for priority Web traffic.

The agency told the Federal Communications Commission, which is reviewing
high-speed Internet practices, that it is opposed to "Net neutrality," the
principle that all Internet sites should be equally accessible to any Web
user.

Several phone and cable companies, such as AT&T Inc., Verizon Communications
Inc. and Comcast Corp., have previously said they want the option to charge
some users more money for loading certain content or Web sites faster than
others.

The Justice Department said imposing a Net neutrality regulation could
hamper development of the Internet and prevent service providers from
upgrading or expanding their networks. It could also shift the "entire
burden of implementing costly network expansions and improvements onto
consumers," the agency said in its filing.

Such a result could diminish or delay network expansion and improvement, it
added.

The agency said providing different levels of service is common, efficient
and could satisfy consumers. As an example, it cited that the U.S. Postal
Service charges customers different guarantees and speeds for package
delivery, ranging from bulk mail to overnight delivery.

"Whether or not the same type of differentiated products and services will
develop on the Internet should be determined by market forces, not
regulatory intervention," the agency said in its filing.

The agency's stance comes more than two months after Federal Trade
Commission Chairwoman Deborah Platt Majoras cautioned policy makers to enact
Net neutrality regulation.

Such a regulation could prevent rather than promote Internet investment and
innovation and have "significant negative effects for the economy and
consumers," the Justice Department said in the filing.

Supporters of Internet regulation have said that phone and cable companies
could discriminate against certain Web site and services.

However, the agency said it will continue to monitor and enforce any
anticompetitive conduct to ensure a competitive broadband marketplace.