C/Net reports that Congress on Thursday took another step toward overhauling telecommunications law to account for technologies like broadband Internet and voice over Internet Protocol.
The U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce committee released a 77-page staff working draft (PDF file) and is now calling for comments from interested parties. According to a press release, Rep. Joe Barton, the Texas Republican who chairs the committee, has made the issue a “top priority” and is hoping to have a bill introduced this fall.
Key provisions of the “staff discussion draft” include:
- Creating a common regulatory definition for broadband transmission services that would cover DSL, cable modems and other broadband services.
- Ensuring network neutrality to prevent broadband providers from blocking access to Internet content.
- Providing a uniform regulatory framework for broadband, voice-over-IP and video services providers.
- Developing a streamlined franchising process for broadband video providers.
Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., said the draft bill represented a starting point in the process of forging comprehensive broadband legislation that would overhaul the 1996 Telecommunications Act.
Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the House telecommunications and Internet subcommittee (Hearings & Markups), said he expected the House to complete its version of the legislation by the end of the year.
In July, similar legislation was introduced in the Senate, the Broadband Consumer Choice Act of 2005 (pdf), introduced by Sen. John Ensign, R. Nev., and co-sponsored by Sen.John McCain R. Arizona. The Senate Commerce Committee has held several hearings on Digital Television and other communications issues this year.
According to C/Net, comments already began trickling in as groups digested the draft. Gigi Sohn, president of the digital-rights advocacy nonprofit Public Knowledge, praised the “thoughtful draft” for its Net neutrality components and acknowledgment of municipal efforts.
Big broadband providers reserved judgment on the draft’s content but were quick to hail its release, which they said represents an important step toward a much-anticipated update of telecommunications law.
Jim Kohlenberger, executive director of the VON Coalition, which represents VoIP interests, said his organization applauded the committee’s hard work and looked forward to massaging the draft “so that the regulatory net doesn’t inadvertently catch some of the wrong fish.”
Earlier, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) introduced S 1237, the “Spectrum Availability for Emergency-Response and Law-Enforcement to Improve Vital Emergency Services Act”. The bill would establish a hard date of December 31, 2008, for the transition in the U.S. from analog to digital television.
This awkward title produces the acronym of SAERLEIVES, which is close to SAVE LIVES.
The title of “SAVE LIVES” is descriptive of the content to the extent that 24 MHz of the spectrum currently being used by broadcasters for over the air analog television would be made available for law enforcement purposes.
Roll Call, TechLawJournal, capitolhearings.org, C/Span, Baller Herbst Law Group, Civitium, C/Net, Muniwireless, UnwireMyCity and Sascha Meinrath keep tabs on municipal broadband regulation.
DailyWireless has more on Broadband Bills, Duopoly Laws? and Muni Wireless Laws.
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