Net Neutrality (was Re: [sllug-members]: Comcast has problems)

[Corey Edwards]

On Thu, 2007-01-25 at 13:44 -0700, Lonnie Olson wrote:
> Side note, Why isn't anyone complaining, campaigning, legislating, 
> restricting cable companies?  How is it that they get away with their 
> monopolistic practices w/o anyone noticing?  ILECs have had their hands 
> tied by the law (as it is necessary).  If cable companies were required 
> to allow access to other ISPs as well then this whole Net Neutrality 
> debate wouldn't be necessary.

See FCC v. Brand X. The Supreme Court last year decided that cable
companies don't have to share their lines like phone companies do. In
fact, they declared that DSL is in the same boat and the FCC went back
and changed the rules on DSL to match what the Court said. There's
debate about whether independent ISPs will be cut of by DSL companies in
the future. It's been a year and it hasn't happened yet. It would be
grossly short-sighted to do so, IMHO. But when have phone companies ever
shown themselves to be logical?

http://news.com.com/Cable+wins+Supreme+Court+battle/2100-1036_3-5764120.html

Corey