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from: TPM Cafe

The Price of Net Neutrality

By Art Brodsky

Kevin Martin, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, was sold out in the merger of AT&T and BellSouth. He wasn't undercut by the other commissioners who disagreed with him, even though Martin took out his anger at them. He was sold out by the company for which he had extended his prestige -- AT&T. On top of that, Martin has made life for himself just that much more difficult dealing with Democrats in Congress, even as he accepted the foundation for a more open Internet.

from: Public Knowledge

The Price of Net Neutrality

Submitted by Art Brodsky on January 5, 2007 - 3:46pm.

As Democratic legislators start the process of running the legislative branches of government, it’s worth a moment to take a last look at the unusual statement on the AT&T/BellSouth merger issued by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and his colleague, Deborah Taylor Tate. The merger conditions, approved Dec. 29, enshrined the concept that companies that offer service like AT&T can’t discriminate in how they provide content. That’s the shorthand for Net Neutrality. AT&T agreed not to sell as service that “privileges, degrades or prioritizes” any data transmitted over its network. Martin and Tate didn’t like that condition, among others, and said so in a statement issued when the deal was approved.

“I call them the black ninjas. They work by night and are very, very good.”
- past FCC Chairman Bill Kennard explaining telco lobbyists

In a holiday present to Wall Street, the FCC approved the 85 billion dollar AT&T/BellSouth merger. The combined company will have an estimated $100 billion dollars in annual revenue, employ 300,000 people, and control 22 states, including local phone service to 70 million and DSL service for 11 million.