The House Energy and Commerce Committee draft, requiring broadband providers to allow their subscribers to view any legal online content is a victory for advocates of “net neutrality”.


Viewers should be able to view preferred, legal, online content and big broadband providers should not squeeze out smaller competitors that offer voice, video or other services, is the main focus of a draft legislation to be debated.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee draft is a victory for advocates of “net neutrality”, preserving the open nature of the Internet. If the law is passed Internet providers have to stand aside and allow customers to access any Web pages as long as the content is legal.

Another provision in the proposed law also makes it easier for telephone companies to offer television over high speed lines. It seeks to free cable and telephone companies from having to negotiate video franchises with numerous local authorities around the country, instead giving the Federal Communications Commission more authority over the process.

That would largely benefit the major telephone companies like Verizon Communications Inc., SBC Communications Corp. and BellSouth Corp., which hope to offer television over fiber-optic lines.

Other aspects of the draft legislation are aimed at making sure cable and telephone companies get equivalent regulatory treatment as they offer broadband Internet access.

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