Free Press

For the last two years, a coalition of high-tech companies and organizations called the Wireless Innovation Alliance has been pushing the Federal Communications Commission to allow access to white space, the portions of the broadcast spectrum set aside by the FCC to prevent interference between neighboring television signals.

Following a Federal Communications Commission ruling that Comcast blocked Internet traffic and ordering the company to submit a compliance plan about how it intends to stop "discriminatory management practices," Comcast is planning a new traffic-managing system.

Called Fair Share, the system is intended to limit the heaviest Internet users over short periods of time.

'Time-Out' Mechanism

The Federal Communications Commission is reportedly ready to take enforcement action against cable-TV giant Comcast for blocking Internet traffic. An investigation began after complaints from the public-interest group Free Press.

Philadelphia-based Comcast is the country's second-largest Internet service provider, with 14.1 million subscribers.

In what may be an early test of enforcing open-access rules for the Internet, the head of the Federal Communications Commission said Thursday that he will seek to have Comcast punished for violating openness guarantees.

According to the Associated Press, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said his agency "has adopted a set of principles that protects customers' access to the Internet," and Comcast violated those principles. The FCC policy to which Martin refers is a 2005 set of principles.

'Arbitrarily' Blocked

In what may be an early test of enforcing open-access rules for the Internet, the head of the Federal Communications Commission said Thursday that he will seek to have Comcast punished for violating openness guarantees.

According to the Associated Press, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said his agency "has adopted a set of principles that protects customers' access to the Internet," and Comcast violated those principles. The FCC policy to which Martin refers is a 2005 set of principles.

'Arbitrarily' Blocked

The Internet neutrality issue has once again taken center stage in Congress, where two bills are under scrutiny. During a hearing to discuss pending legislation, the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet noted that commercial success for many Internet-based companies depends on an open Internet.

What's scary, funny and boring at the same time? It could be a bad horror movie. Or it could be the fine print on your Internet service provider's contract.

Those documents you agree to -- usually without reading -- ostensibly allow your ISP to watch how you use the Internet, read your e-mail or keep you from visiting sites it deems inappropriate. Some reserve the right to block traffic and, for any reason, cut off a service that many users now find essential.