FCC Put to Test Over Net Neutrality

Consumer groups lodge complaint against Comcast file sharing interference

By Zach Samalin, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 1, 2007 4:53 PM CDT

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FCC Put to Test Over Net Neutrality — Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin lostens during a hearing on localism, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, at the FCC headquarters in Washington. Federal regulators on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, approved a rule that would ban exclusive agreements that cable television operators have... (Associated Press)

Consumer groups and legal scholars filed a complaint with the FCC today asking the agency to fine Comcast for interfering with subscribers' file transfers. The case will be the first major indication of the FCC's actual stance on Net Neutrality. The petitions call on the FCC to fine Comcast $195,000 for every affect subscriber, the Associated Press reports.

Currently the nation's largest cable television provider, Comcast is also the second largest ISP, with 12.9 million internet subscriptions. An AP test in October found considerable evidence that Comcast delayed file sharing for subscribers using BitTorrent. FCC policy states that consumers are free to run whichever Internet applications they choose, but makes an exception for "reasonable network management" — which exception Comcast is surely eyeing. (More net neutrality stories.)

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