Fcc, Net Neutrality | featured news

The Senate on Thursday voted to keep in place the Federal Communications Commission's controversial rules aimed at preserving open Internet access... The Democratic controlled FCC voted 3-2 along party lines in December to adopt regulations that prohibit telecommunications companies from favoring their online services over those of competitors. The rules, which apply to wired and wireless services, forbid companies from blocking access by their customers to any legal content, applications or services.

With its rules on network neutrality, the FCC has protected the current state of the Internet, left the future of the web unregulated and punted on most of the challenging issues that lay before it -- from requiring wireless networks to be open to allowing managed services.

The Federal Communications Commission this week adopted a plan to police the web, but it will take at least a couple of months to implement the new rules – a procedural delay that could benefit Republican critics in Congress who are determined to erect a blockade.

Federal regulators are poised to enact controversial new rules affecting Internet access, marking the government's strongest move yet to ensure that Facebook updates, Google searches and Skype calls reach consumers' homes unimpeded.

An appeals court said that the agency lacks the authority to require broadband providers to give equal treatment to all Internet traffic.

Federal regulators are expected to take a step forward Thursday on rules that would prohibit broadband providers from favoring or discriminating against Internet traffic.

Published reports say the FCC will propose new rules designed to ensure the free flow of information and applications over the Internet.