Stevens likes net neutrality: but Senate Commerce chair's unsure of its legislative impact.(POLICY)(Ted Stevens)

Multichannel News, February, 2006 by Hearn, Ted

Washington -- A Senate telecommunications bill will likely ban cable and phone companies from discriminating against providers of Internet voice, video and content-search services, Senate Commerce Committee chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) said last week. Stevens--who will have an important role in shaping any law that replaces the bellwether Telecommunication Act of 1996--admitted that voicing support for anti-discrimination principles (which also go by the name network neutrality) is much easier than putting those principles into statutory language.

Do they mean that cable providers can't charge more for higher consumer-access speeds; can't enter into branding deals to stimulate consumer awareness and adoption of broadband; or can't establish a fast...