An increasing array of issues is currently being debated under the heading of "net neutrality," and dialogue surrounding this concept is rapidly gaining strength. At the heart of the net neutrality debate is whether the Internet, the Web, and associated technologies will continue to thrive as an open platform for innovation and free expression and what policies, if any, are necessary to ensure that they will. In an effort to answer questions so central to CDT’s vision, CDT has been working hard to gather information and gain understanding regarding several critical aspects of the debate: the key technical, economic and regulatory foundations of today's open Internet; future trends in Internet-related technology that with either enable or constrain open platforms in the future; and evolving business models that may encourage or discourage operators of key services toward the open platform status quo that we enjoy today.
FCC Proposes "Rules of the Road" for Internet Neutrality - CDT applauds steps taken today at the FCC to open a serious and substantive discussion in the form of a new rule making on Internet neutrality. On substance, CDT welcomes the Commission's proposal to add non-discrimination and transparency to the four neutrality principles the agency outlined in 2005; CDT has long favored the addition of these principles. However, as we begin to examine the text of the proposed rule there are concerns, particularly the exceptions and caveats to the neutrality rules for network management, quality of service and other grounds; clearly the proposal will require much deeper analysis going forward. Most important, if the goal of the proceeding is to preserve the open Internet, the FCC needs to draw a bright line between regulation of the last-mile network and the regulation of Internet content, applications, and services. October 22, 2009
Share this articleFCC Chairman Calls for Internet Neutrality Rules - FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski announced today that the agency will pursue new Internet neutrality safeguards. The proposal would involve converting the FCC's 2005 broadband Policy Statement into actual rules and extending it to embrace a nondiscrimination principle, to require transparency regarding network management, and to cover wireless Internet access. CDT shares the Chairman's determination to preserve the Internet's "freedom to innovate without permission" and applauds his leadership in bringing this crucial issue to the fore of the communications policy agenda. September 21, 2009
Share this articleCDT Tells FCC To Include Openness, Privacy in Broadband Plan - In comments submitted to the FCC on Monday, CDT stressed that a national broadband plan should include a commitment to maintain and indeed strengthen the legal and policy framework that has enabled the Internet to become such a dynamic and innovative medium. CDT also recommended that the plan feature further measures to safeguard the Internet's open character, promote online privacy, harness broadband to achieve greater transparency in government, and more. June 09, 2009
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