Fast Forward: FCC Takes Sides in Net-Neutrality Debate

More importantly, net-neutrality rules would let Internet providers limit subscribers' overall use. And if your excessive downloading got in the way of other customers' access, a provider could restrict your connection (although Genachowski's rule that providers "be transparent about their network management practices" should make it clear what conduct would get you in trouble).

Don't underestimate the odds of content restrictions being replaced by bandwidth restrictions. Executives at wireless carriers, when granted permission to speak without their names or their companies showing up in print, can spend a lot of time talking about their network-capacity issues.

They have good reasons to be worried. All of AT&T's rules have not prevented its network from being swamped by all the traffic generated by iPhone users.

But as a customer, I would rather know just what I'm buying in terms of megabytes per day, week or month than have to discover that my new service blocks a site or application that works on other connections. In turn, we'll see more innovation if new Internet applications don't have to ask permission from a wireless carrier.

Wireless carriers, meanwhile, fail to make a solid argument for keeping their restrictions. They talk about their freedom to develop new business models, but where are the innovative services made possible by these limits?

They make a fairer point when warning about the risks of added regulation. Every time you force private enterprise to interact with a government agency, you create expensive work for lawyers and lobbyists and increase the odds of corruption down the line.

You also cannot count on the FCC to defend consumer interests: Under the Bush administration, the FCC forced television manufacturers to build copying restrictions into digital televisions until a court struck down its "broadcast flag" rule.

But if we assume that wireless Internet access will be a legitimate alternative to ground-bound broadband, we should make sure it will work the same way. Maybe the threat of regulation alone can alter wireless carriers' behavior; if not, the FCC should write the simplest, clearest rules possible.

The Internet has grown and prospered because of a principle built into its core design -- it's open to your imagination -- and that principle is worth defending.

Living with technology, or trying to? E-mail Rob Pegoraro at robp@washpost.com. Read more at http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward.