Reuters Factbox: Winners/Losers from U.S. Internet Rules

[Hissyspit]

http://us.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6BK08120101221?ca=rdt

Factbox: Potential winners/losers from U.S. Internet rules
Mon Dec 20, 2010 8:58pm EST

(Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission is expected to adopt Internet traffic rules on Tuesday. They would ban the blocking of lawful content, but allow high-speed Internet providers to manage their networks. Wireless carriers got additional network management freedoms.

The following are expected winners and losers under this framework based on reports from analysts and industry insiders.

INTERNET PROVIDERS - WINNERS

* Cable companies like Comcast Corp, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision Systems Corp and big landline providers like AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc

* The rules will not stand in the way of usage-based pricing, allowing cable and other fixed line companies that also serve as high-speed Internet providers to increase rates for subscribers that do bandwidth-heavy tasks.

MORE

[tridim]

1. This represents the death of the Internet, not just "rules".

Take it Anon.

[rurallib]

2. Well I guess I should not be surprised

here a cave, there a cave, everywhere a cave.

[abelenkpe]

3. Really?

I guess it's over then. :(

[inna]

4. we are SO screwed.

[progressoid]

5. But I thought our Soshalist President would soshalize the internet into a Government run program.

I don't get it, this sounds almost pro - big business. I'm going to have to tune into Sean and Glenn tomorrow to get a clarification.

[cascadiance]

6. I wonder if this will spawn a new breed of denial of service attacks...

If hackers will find ways to get off-shore servers to hammer these "protected" services of these companies trying to close the internet to themselves. Perhaps these other servers could bring down effective responsiveness of these servers "protected" by Comcast, etc. with such attacks. Since the bandwidth wouldn't be used by subscribers directly, and with these attackers being able to go through other connections, it wouldn't be something that could be directly billed to customers. I can see this sort of thing happening soon.