FCC chief says no need for new regulation of the Internet

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Source: Associated Press

- Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin said Tuesday his agency has all the authority it needs to prevent Internet service providers from discriminating against Web surfers and that new legislation is unnecessary.

"I do not believe any additional regulations are needed at this time," Martin said at a hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee. "But I also believe that the commission has a responsibility to enforce the principles that it has already adopted."

The FCC has conducted two hearings on "network management" following admissions by Comcast Corp. that it sometimes delayed file-sharing traffic for subscribers as a way to keep Web traffic flowing.

The hearing was called at a time when the issue of "network neutrality" — the principle that people should be able to go where they choose on the Internet without interference from network owners — has heated up.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080422/ap_on_hi_te/internet_regulation_13