Google Threatens To Sue Telecos

Google has announced it will take legal action against telecom companies if they are found misusing their market position. The announcement comes shortly after the rejection of the proposed Net Neutrality Bill, which required sites to be delivered without preference by content type or source. Google, which appeared to be one of the forerunners of the bill, is now trying to pacify the public, saying it will not tolerate any foulplay by the telecom companies. The rejection of the Net Neutrality Bill created a wave of disappointment and anxiety because it gave net providers, the authority to decide on behalf of the customers, which websites and services they can visit and use. According to a Reuters report, Google vice president Vint Cerf has said that Google will not challenge the law outright in court just yet, but will look for breaches and complain to the Justice Department’s antitrust authorities if necessary. Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill that would free phone carriers and cable operators from key restrictions on how they set fees for delivering Internet content. Companies like Verizon and AT&T are now starting to offer services of their own that compete with those of companies like Google, Microsoft, Vonage and others. Now Internet companies fear that the telcos could prioritize their own traffic, giving them an unfair advantage over competitors.