But critics of the bill - including several leading internet service providers (ISPs) - say it can be difficult to identify persistent file-sharers, particularly those that share a web connection or use a public access point.

BBC: Call for 'fuller' debate on Digital Economy Bill

It has also sent cease-and-desist letters to Internet service providers, including universities, telling them to stop their users' illegal downloading.

CNN: Studios hope to prevent a movie 'Napster' from taking hold

This caused overload of all kinds of network infrastructures, including switches, routers, and the internet service providers themselves.

FORBES: DDoS Defense: Preventing business disruption

Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said Google wouldn't pay Verizon or other Internet service providers to offer such premium services for Google's products, including its YouTube video service.

WSJ: Google, Verizon Release Internet Proposal

Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure (U-NII) devices today operate in 555 megahertz of spectrum in the 5 GHz band, and are used for short range, high speed wireless connections including Wi-Fi enabled local area networks and fixed outdoor broadband transceivers used by wireless Internet service providers to connect smart phones, tablets and laptops to the broadband network.

ENGADGET: FCC proposal hopes to grow WiFi spectrum by 35 percent, reduce hotspot congestion

Critics including the Electronic Frontier Foundation have decried such efforts, especially when courts issue wholesale grants of subpoenas ordering Internet service providers to turn over the identities of people accused of illegal downloads.

FORBES: Class Action Turns Tables On Copyright Lawyers

In a sharp departure from the FCC's traditionally broad and vague regulations, including its proposed net neutrality mandates, this new direction would tie the FCC's regulatory oversight over broadband Internet service providers (ISPs) to marketplace-based decisions regarding alleged competitive abuses that cause demonstrable consumer harm.

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