As expected, the FCC ruled today that Comcast Corp. ran afoul of a federal policy that guarantees open Internet access to all users.

In a precedent-setting 3-2 vote, the Federal Communications Commission said Comcast went too far when it blocked traffic for some subscribers. No fines were levied, but the government ordered the cable giant to change the way it manages traffic.

The FCC took up the issue following complaints about Comcast’s efforts to manage high-bandwidth traffic. Specifically it targeted the file-sharing traffic that puts a heavy burden on network infrastructure. The ruling is a blow to carriers who would like greater freedom in managing traffic

Here’s a statement from Comcast spokeswoman Sena Fitzmaurice:

We are gratified that the Commission did not find any conduct by Comcast that justified a fine and that the deadline established in the order is the same self-imposed deadline that we announced four months ago.

On the other hand, we are disappointed in the Commission’s divided conclusion because we believe that our network management choices were reasonable, wholly consistent with industry practices and that we did not block access to Web sites or online applications, including peer-to-peer services.

We also believe that the Commission’s order raises significant due process concerns and a variety of substantive legal questions.  We are considering all our legal options and are disappointed that the commission rejected our attempts to settle this issue without further delays.

Today’s news was, of course, applauded by the folks at Free Press, one of the groups that filed the complaint against Comcast. Executive director Josh Silver said this:

The FCC’s bipartisan decision to punish Comcast is a major victory. Defying every ounce of conventional wisdom in Washington, everyday people have taken on a major corporation and won an historic precedent for an open Internet.

Comcast’s history of deception and continued blocking show contempt for the online consumer protections established by the FCC. We commend Chairman Martin and Commissioners Copps and Adelstein for standing up for Internet users and working across party lines to protect free speech and the free market.

Today’s order makes it clear that there is nothing reasonable about restricting access to online content or technologies. Moving forward, this bellwether case will send a strong signal to cable and phone companies that such violations will not be tolerated.