Apr 17, 2008

Live blogging has its merits but isn't our usual Tech Policy Central fare. So, with modest delays, we will be posting updates on today's Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hearing on broadband network management practices. Welcome remarks are underway and the first panel will start soon. Instructions on how to get audio and video of the hearing is available at the FCC's site.

Here are some notes from FCC chairman Kevin Martin's introductory remarks:

--Thanked everyone at Stanford Law School and the Center for Internet and Society for hosting today's hearing and all of the panelists for participating. Pointed out that Silicon Valley represents some of the best of American ingenuity and its entrepreneurial spirit is critical as we're trying to debate network neutrality principles. Wanted to make sure that he's clear before we start today's panels that it is important that we hear from a variety of different folks. The FCC did reach out to the carriers, including Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T and all declined to speak at the Stanford hearing. FCC reached out to Comcast and Pando Networks again after they announced their P2P bill of rights and they declined.  The Commission did try to make this as open and transparent as possible. Several of the carriers suggested individuals to participate today and they are involved in the panels.

--Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA, 14th District) couldn't be at the hearing in person because the House is in session, but Chairman Martin read welcome remarks on her behalf. She welcomed everyone to Palo Alto and said she commends the FCC for holding the hearing on such an "extraordinarly important" issue. Said that Net neutrality and open access embrace the value of openness which users of networks have enjoyed for years, until recently. The openness of the Internet revolutionized business and has transformed our economy and changed our everyday lives. Even with the rapid development we've seen, she feels one thing hasn't changed: most American have little choice of how they get on the Net. Failure of competition for high-speed broadband access permits broadband providers to take advantage of this chokepoint and to dictate what content will be available to whom and at what speed. This threatens the very existence of today's Internet, which is why she believes net neutrality should be mandated.

--Rep. Eshoo applauded the FCC for the open access requirements on the C block, which was won by Verizon. But added that the C block represents only the smallest sliver of our public airwaves with this mandate and said the FCC should consider applying those open access provisions on spectrum currently dedicated to mobile services.  

Tags: broadband, FCC, network management, Stanford