[TriLUG] Net Neutrality again...

Thu Sep 7 12:53:09 EDT 2017

Here's where we stand on Net Neutrality:

When Verizon sued the FCC to block the FCC's (very lenient) Net Neutrality
rules, Verizon won because the courts decided that the FCC did not have the
authority to regulate the Internet if it's not a Title II common carrier
service.

Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler then re-classified ISPs as Title II Common
Carriers and re-instated the current Net Neutrality Rules, which prohibit
blocking of legal content, paid prioritization of certain traffic, or
throttling of traffic.  Exceptions to the throttling provision were made
for "reasonable network management", mostly for the benefit of LTE
broadband.  The FCC also agreed to forebear from any rage regulation,
instead deciding to hear complaints of unfair pricing on a case-by-case
basis.  The FCC also agreed to hear disputes regarding unfair
interconnection/peering charges (eg. Netflix/Cogent vs. Verizon et al) on a
case-by-case basis.

Importantly, the FCC also included the wireless broadband portion of cell
service under these regulations.

All of this was done over the objections of the 2 Republican FCC members
Ajit Pai and Michael O'Reilly, who said something about freedom,
investment, innovation, and using the 70 yr. old Telecommunications Act to
regulate modern broadband.

Well now Ajit Pai is FCC Chairman, and is hell-bent on overturning the
Title II reclassification and the Net Neutrality rules despite millions of
comments disagreeing with him.

Mr. Pai argues that this is a job for the FTC (which is ridiculous), or for
Congress (which is perfectly reasonable).

Our own Senator Thom Tillis is now a Co-sponsor of the "Restoring Internet
Freedom Act"
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/993

This act would overturn the FCC's Title II reclassification of ISPs *and
prohibit the FCC from ever making such a ruling in the future.*

Notably, it does nothing to address Net Neutrality, so it is effectively a
repeal of Net Neutrality.

I don't know who the Act restores freedom for, but it appears to be for the
ISPs.

This legislation should be opposed in the STRONGEST POSSIBLE MANNER.

Net Neutrality ensures the freedom of *the very Internet itself.*

Write him a real letter.  If he continues to be recalcitrant, *run against
him.*

I'm sick and tired of Congressional Acts whose titles are the *exact
opposite* of what they actually do.

This is not political, this is just opposition to ignorance and stupidity,
or worse, malicious corruption and malfeasance.

-Wes

_________________________________
Wesley S. Garrison
Network Engineer
Xitech Communications, Inc.
phone:  (919) 260-0803
fax:       (919) 932-5051
__________________________________
"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from email."

On Thu, Sep 7, 2017 at 12:27 PM, Pete Soper via TriLUG <trilug at trilug.org>
wrote:

> Here's the first hit when I searched, so we can become a more informed
> electorate:
>
> https://www.theverge.com/2017/5/24/15685414/net-neutrality-f
> cc-nprm-explained
>
> -Pete
>
>
> On 09/07/2017 12:23 PM, Brian via TriLUG wrote:
>
>> As I understand it, Net Neutrality is on the books, and this is an
>> attempt to keep it from being repealed by the new administration.
>>
>> On 09/07/2017 12:16 PM, John Vaughters via TriLUG wrote:
>>
>>> So is there a new push for net neutrality? or is this just to try to get
>>> it going again?
>>>
>>>
>>>      On Thursday, September 7, 2017, 12:02:49 PM EDT, Brian via TriLUG <
>>> trilug at trilug.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>   Hi Folks,
>>>
>>> I don't know if others of you subscribe to FreePress.net, but I managed
>>> to wind up subscribed, probably by way of submitting a form to send a
>>> letter to my senator.  Senator Thom Tills is against net neutrality, by
>>> the way; if you are a North Carolina resident, please consider
>>> contacting his office to (politely) express your opposition.
>>>
>>> Anyway, I recently got a note from FreePress.net mentioning organizing
>>> in-district drop-ins, and wondered who in the TriLUG community might
>>> like to get involved to express their support for net neutrality in the
>>> form of a short face-to-face with congressional staff in a local
>>> district office.
>>>
>>> Here's the link to a little info and a form to sign up as the organizer
>>> of a drop-in event.
>>>
>>> https://act.demandprogress.org/sign/sign-up-host-team-intern
>>> et/?source=freepress
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> -Brian Henning
>>>
>>>
>>
> --
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