The internet of things
An internet-controlled rubbish bin could be the harbinger of the next industrial revolution.
ACOURT decision last week for internet providers to treat all web traffic equally could allow mobile carriers and other broadband providers to charge content providers for faster access to websites and services.
The Federal Communications Commission’s open internet rules, also known as net neutrality, required internet service providers to give consumers equal access to all lawful content without restrictions or tiered charges.
But the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down the rules, which were passed in late 2010.
The ruling is a victory for broadband providers, who saw the FCC rules as government overreach into how they operate their networks.
The largest providers pledged that they would not restrict customers on the web, but consumer advocacy groups worry that internet network owners may begin charging content providers such as YouTube or Facebook for faster internet speeds.
This was the second time the court struck down the FCC’s net neutrality rules.
The FCC had classified broadband providers as information service providers as opposed to telecommunications service providers, and that distinction created a legal hurdle for the FCC’s authority.
The debate is expected to intensify as viewers increasingly take to the internet for bandwidth-intensive media consumption.
The FCC could appeal the ruling to the full appeals court or to the US Supreme Court, something FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said he was considering as among ‘‘all available options’’ to ensure internet networks remained free and open.
The FCC could also reclassify broadband providers to establish clear authority over them. Public interest groups have urged the FCC to do so, but the move would face opposition from Republicans and broadband providers.
Wheeler recently has also suggested he could use existing FCC power to go after particular internet service providers who violated the open internet principles on a case-by-case basis.
Supporters of the FCC rules worry that now internet providers would begin to charge content providers or even block access to particular sites.
‘‘That’s just not the way the internet has worked until now,’’ said Matt Wood, policy director at public interest group Free Press.
Video-streaming is by far the heaviest bandwidth hog on the internet. Netflix and YouTube alone are estimated to account for more than half of all downstream internet traffic at peak hours.
The debate is expected to intensify as viewers increasingly take to the internet for bandwidth-intensive media consumption.
Some worry that giving internet providers more power to charge for heavy use of their networks could penalise startups and other less cash-flush companies, who might be unable to get their product in front of users, thwarting competition.
But opponents of the FCC’s open internet rules also argue the regulations inhibit investments and are not necessary to ensure unrestricted access to internet content.
But content providers remained uneasy.
‘‘With the internet and our member companies growing and changing and startups constantly popping up, protections do need to be placed for consumers,’’ said Michael Beckerman, president of the Internet Association that represents content providers including Netflix, Google, Facebook and Amazon.