FCC's Comcast ruling: Fuel for the fire

Posted by Marguerite Reardon The Federal Communications Commission came down hard on cable operator Comcast when it said its network management practices were illegal. But what will the FCC's move mean for the rest of the industry and the ongoing debate over Net Neutrality? It's still too early to say exactly what the long term affect will be. Policy wonks from the phone companies say that the decision puts to rest any notion that Net Neutrality legislation is needed, but Net Neutrality proponents believe that a legal challenge from Comcast will necessitate the need for laws that make it clear the federal government has a role in keeping the Net open. As for the industry, few operators will have to change their practices to comply with the FCC's clarified framework of its Net Neutrality principles. But in the long run, the... [read full story]