Amazon to FCC: Prioritizing Internet traffic is OK

Amazon wants the FCC to let Internet service providers speed up some traffic to consumers as long as other content is not harmed in the process.

In its filing with the FCC on the net neutrality proceeding, Amazon asked that broadband services providers be allowed to favor some content if doing so does not hurt other content or services.

Amazon is one of the only "edge" providers to support traffic prioritization.

By "edge," the FCC is referring to content and service providers that operate on the broadband networks but do not run the networks themselves. These firms, including Google and Skype, are ardent advocates of net neutrality, which would prohibit Internet service providers from favoring any content or traffic.

Paul Misener, Amazon's Vice President of Global Public Policy, said the Internet has long been interconnected with services, content and devices on "the edge" of a broadband network that enhance some Internet content over other content. That's OK, he said, because the performance of that other content is not "disfavored..."

"Content may be favored, so long as doing so causes no harm--e.g., delays in transmission or other reductions in quality--to other content."

But if a particular user chooses to have some content favored to them, Internet service providers have to ensure content to or from other users is not negatively affected.