Timeline of the F.C.C. Investigation Into Comcast

As cable giant Comcast prepares to do battle with the Federal Communications Commission over charges it blocked file-sharing on its network, a look back at the events of the last year:

-- Comcast is caught by the Associated Press blocking peer-to-peer traffic on its network, allegedly violating the F.C.C.'s 2005 "Internet Policy Statement". [Oct. 19, 2007]

-- Washington, D.C.-based consumer rights group Free Press, with a coalition of internet experts from Yale, Harvard, and Stanford, files a complaint with the F.C.C. asking it to investigate the allegations. Comcast denies the charge. [Nov. 2, 2007]

-- Comcast admits temporarily blocking certain peer-to-peer traffic in a 57-page filing with the F.C.C., but characterizes its actions as "reasonable network management," needed to ensure that the internet works for all of its subscribers, not just file-swappers. [Feb. 13, 2008]

-- At a public hearing at Harvard, F.C.C. Chairman Kevin Martin warns Comcast that the agency is "ready, willing, and able" to punish Comcast for violations of its open internet guidelines. [Feb. 25, 2008]

-- Comcast faces a media storm after admitting to Portfolio.com that it paid people off the street to attend the Harvard hearing, while members of the public were prevented from attending. Comcast claims it merely paid people to save spots for Comcast employees. [Feb. 26, 2008]

-- The organizer of the Harvard public hearing disputes Comcast's claim, telling Portfolio.com: "There were no Comcast employees waiting to get in. The people who were waiting to get into the room were regular citizens waiting to get into a public hearing." [Feb. 27. 2008]

-- In the aftermath of the Harvard hearing, the F.C.C. weighs convening a "do-over" at Stanford University, despite official denials. Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo opens an investigation into Comcast's "network management" practices. [Feb. 27. 2008]

-- F.C.C. Chairman Martin downplays Comcast's "audience packing" at the Harvard hearing: "It's usually more interesting for people to attend on their own without being paid to do so, but we're not investigating anything," Martin says. [Mar. 5, 2008]

-- The F.C.C. announces it will hold a second hearing at Stanford, featuring Stanford law professor Larry Lessig as lead questioner. [Mar. 19, 2008]

-- Comcast says it will change its network management practices to a "protocol agnostic" approach -- meaning it will not favor one type of traffic over another, and will instead focus on users who consume the most bandwidth. Namely file-sharers. The company also says it has signed an agreement with Bit Torrent, Inc., in an effort to address the best way to manage peer-to-peer traffic. [Mar. 27, 2008]

-- Two days before the Stanford hearing, Comcast says it will develop a "Bill of Rights and Responsibilities" for file-sharing services. Comcast's critics blast the plan as "ludicrous." [April 15, 2008]

-- Comcast announces it won't attend the Stanford public hearing. [April 16, 2008]

-- After a raucous, 10-hour public hearing at Stanford, F.C.C. Chairman Martin argues before the U.S. Senate that the agency has the authority to punish Comcast. Martin says that contrary to Comcast's claims, the company's "traffic management" appeared to be unconnected to network congestion. [April 22, 2008]

-- F.C.C. Chairman Martin circulates an order concluding that Comcast violated federal internet guidelines. [July 11, 2008]

-- Democratic Commissioners commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein say they will vote in favor of the order punishing Comcast, giving the commission the majority needed for approval. The formal vote is set for Aug. 1. [July 25, 2008]

--Sam Gustin