FCC Chairman Copps looks to adopt a fifth nondiscrimination principle

Copps Wants FCC To Adopt Fifth Non-Discrimination Internet Principle [Multichannel News]

Friday marked the final day of 2009's Cable Show. The Friday public policy luncheon at The Cable Show's featured current FCC chairman Michael Copps. Copps announced to the luncheon's audience support for a fifth nondiscrimination principle for the FCC's four current Internet openness principles and support for making the fifth principle enforceable by the FCC. Net neutrality has been a controversial subject for the FCC, which found cable operator Comcast in violation of the Internet openness principles last year in a case that involved network management of peer-to-peer traffic.

Chairman Copps indicated that notwithstanding his support for an additional nondiscrimination principal, he believed that the adoption process would be best served by waiting until FCC Chairman-designate Julius Genachowski is confimed by the U.S. Senate and other FCC vacancies are filled. Copps also indicated his willingness to work with network operators in drafting language for the fifth openness principle.

I'm glad to see that Chairman Copps is seeking the input of cable operators on a rule change like this one. It's a breath of fresh air at an agency that was in dire need of an "openness" principle of its own during the past five years. I'm looking forward to working with the Commission to develop rules that allow users freedom to use our networks how they choose, while preserving the ability of operators to responsibly manage resources to allow all users to have an acceptable broadband experience.

Comments

[sineswiper]

Let's hope that when the cable operators and net neutrality folks are forced in a room together, they can look at both sides of the issue and figure out a good compromise. That's been a big problem with the debate so far.