WASHINGTON(Reuters) – A senior U.S. lawmaker plans to introduce a bill in Januarythat would bar Internet providers like AT&T Inc from blocking Webcontent, setting up a renewed battle over so-called network neutrality.
Sen. Byron Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, believes a law isessential to prevent telephone and cable companies from discriminatingagainst Internet content, even though regulators have taken actions toenforce free Web principles, a top Dorgan aide said on Thursday.
"We feel that legislation is definitely necessary," said FrannieWellings, telecom counsel to Dorgan, speaking at a University ofNebraska law school event on changes in telecom law after the electionof Democrat Barack Obama.
Dorgan has been influential on the issue, and will be among thehighest ranking Democrats on the Senate’s Commerce Committee when itreconvenes in January.
The net neutrality fight pits Internet service providers (ISPs) likeAT&T against content companies like Google Inc and Microsoft Corp.
The ISPs, which also include Verizon Communications Inc. and cablecompany Comcast Corp, say they need to manage the ever-growing trafficon their networks without government interference.
Content companies say the ISPs hold too power much to block or slowdown traffic requiring more bandwidth, such as movie downloads, orcertain content altogether.
President-elect Barack Obamasupports net neutrality legislation. The election of Obama and moreDemocrats who back the concept adds momentum to the cause, Wellingssaid.
A recent Federal Communications Commission decision ordering Comcastto stop impeding the sharing of certain content between users provesregulators already have the authority, an AT&T official said.
"The current (FCC) principles already deal with unreasonablediscrimination," said Jim Cicconi, AT&T executive vice presidentfor regulatory affairs, pointing to the Comcast case.
The public would not pay for its Internet services if AT&Tdiscriminated against content, he added. "We’d be shooting ourselves inthe foot."
Comcast is suing the FCC over the issue, and much depends on theoutcome of that case, experts said. If the court sides with Comcast,legislation will become much more likely.
"The telephone and cable companies say trust them," said MarkhamErickson, director of the Open Internet Coalition, a trade group thatlobbies for net neutrality, with members such as Google and eBay Inc."We will trust but verify."
(Reporting by Kim Dixon, editing by Richard Chang)
? Thomson Reuters 2008 All rights reserved
