January 3, 2007
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Telecom: Despite AT&T's agreement to "maintain a neutral network and neutral routing in its wireline, broadband Internet access service" as part of its merger with BellSouth, "broad-based net neutrality regulations are not warranted," said Chris Wolf, co-chairman of Hands Off the Internet, a group whose members oppose net neutrality. "Important voices across the political spectrum have concluded that regulation of the Internet is unnecessary and would result in a whole host of unintended consequences," he said. The FCC approved the merger Friday, and AT&T's net neutrality provision lasts two years. Scott Cleland, president of the telecom analysis firm Precursor, argued on his Web log that the merger conditions were "extorted because of a procedural and political anomaly, not because of any consensus for them." The conditions only apply to one of several U.S. broadband competitors and are "not useful or accurate in applying to other technologies or companies," he said.
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