Today, the Federal Communications Commission held a public hearing at Stanford University on the Internet and network management. In response, the Hands Off the Internet coalition (HandsOff.org) released the following statement:

“Network management is indispensable to make the Internet safer and more enjoyable and that point seemed to resonate with the Commissioners. The Commissioners also seemed receptive to evidence that smart networks are crucial to the continued deployment of affordable broadband.

“Hopefully, today’s hearing helped better focus the policy debate on a more realistic appreciation of the expense and complexity necessary for today’s Internet.”

The Hands Off the Internet coalition is a Washington, DC-based coalition of companies and nonprofit organizations that believes the Internet has flourished because government has not tried to regulate it. Members include Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Qwest, 3M, the National Association of Manufacturers, FiberControl, and Cinergy Communications. Nonprofit members include Citizens Against Government Waste and the National Black Chamber of Commerce.