FCC Likely To Fine Comcast Over Network Management Practices
Comcast came under fire for allegedly blocking file sharing and peer to peer traffic to customers who use BitTorrent sites for sharing media files.
In September 2005, the FCC outlined a set of principles to ensure that broadband networks are widely deployed, open and available to all customers.
Last week, Democrats Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein and Republican chairman Kevin Martin cast the votes in favor of punishment. The text of the order has not yet been made public, but the AP reported a fine of Comcast will likely be included. The rest of the five-man commission will convene in a public meeting on August 1 to officially vote on the order.
It is expected that the FCC will call for Comcast to stop blocking or throttling traffic, provide details on the extent the cable company has restricted traffic and to disclose to consumers how the practice will be used going forward.
"I continue to believe that is imperative that all consumers have unfettered access to the Internet," Martin said in a statement. "I am pleased that a majority has agreed that the Commission both has the authority to and in fact will stop broadband service providers when they block or interfere with subscribers' access."
Comcast spokeswoman Sena Fitzmaurice released a statement late last week saying the company's practices are "reasonable, wholly consistent with industry practices." And that Comcast "did not block access to the Web sites or online applications, including peer to peer services."