BellSouth exec wants Net delivery fee

The chief technology officer for BellSouth Corp. said Internet service providers could charge Internet companies to deliver some Web sites faster than others.

William J. Smith also told reporters it seems reasonable his company should be allowed to charge transmission fees to a competitor delivering phone service over the Net, the Washington Post reported.

Smith’s comments echo statements a few weeks ago by the chief executive officer of AT&T that his company should be able to charge for making publishers’ Web sites accessible.

Smith likened his suggestion to business practices used by airlines, selling coach and first-class tickets, or shipping companies providing two-day or six-day delivery. Different classes of service have different prices.

‘If we want to ruin the Internet, we’ll turn it into a cable TV system’’ that carries programming from only those who pay for transmission, Gigi B. Sohn, president of Public Knowledge, a digital rights advocacy group, told the Post.

Full Story: http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2005/12/04/featuresbusiness/hjjeihjghgechd.txt