FCC reveals net neutrality plans, treats mobile and fixed very differently

The US Federal Communications Committee has published its long awaited plans on assuring net neutrality. In short: paid prioritisation is off, but not for mobile. The rules are meant to create a level playing field for internet services and to strengthen the position of users.

On fixed line connections, ISPs are not allowed to put competing services at a disadvantage. A telco/ISP like Verizon, for example, is not allowed to throttle voip services. Furthermore, the rules state that all customers should have equal access to aal types of different (lawful) content. No discrimination allowed. Managing peak hour traffic is not seen as discrimination, as long as remains within “reasonable” limits and providers are transparent towards their customers, online service services and hardware builders.

Mobile operators are provided with a lot more leeway to manage and shape the traffic on their site. They are allowed to give an advantage to traffic from affiliate servicesand are permitted to charge service providers for making use of their network or platform. The reasoning of the FCC is that mobile platforms are already developing as semi-open environments. They point to Android as a good example of the openness of mobile environments.

Moreover, mobile providers are awarded more liberty for traffic shaping and management as their networks are limited in their capacity, compared to fixed lines.

As mobile internet grows fast and may well develop to be the preferred way for people to access the internet, commenters are surprised with the ease with which the FCC leaves the regulation of mobile networks up to market forces themselves.

The FCC rules are not uncontested, media expert prof. Robert Picard ascertains. Republicans and some of the larger ISPs question the authority of the FCC in this matter. If they are proven right, it would befall Congress to provide them with this authority, or move the net neutrality issue to the Federal Trade Committee.