Broadband Trade Groups Launch Another Volley Against Historic Net Neutrality Ruling
It seems that the net neutrality battle is just getting started. The National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA), and the American Cable Association (ACA) want the federal courts to repeal its ruling on net neutrality.
What is the net neutrality mandate? The FCC has authority to regulate broadband internet service as a utility. Internet providers are also no longer able to implement “fast lanes” for services that are willing to pay a premium. This prevents ISP’s from favoring their own streaming services and charging fees for third-party services.
These aforementioned groups claim that they support net neutrality but believe that the act “put wireline, wireless and the Internet backbone under sweeping government controls.” The association believes that the government is treating internet providers like “archaic telephone systems”.
The CTIA stated, “This Court’s en banc review is critical because this case is exceptionally important. The FCC has claimed, for the first time, the authority to regulate comprehensively one of the most important communication systems in human history. Few final rules of any federal administrative agency have ever had so much potential to affect the lives of so many Americans”.
Internet providers wanted net neutrality to be determined by Congress instead of the judicial systems. Considering that at least twenty-nine Congressmen at the time had received roughly $800,000 campaign funds from cable companies, this was naturally a problematic route.
Last month the court upheld the law in a 2-1 ruling. The case appeal will be resolved within ninety days. The FCC stated that it is confident that the ruling will be upheld once more, despite the NCTA’s insistence that “the 2015 Order abruptly and unreasonably abandoned that long-established precedent, reverting to an outdated regulatory framework”.
What is the net neutrality mandate? The FCC has authority to regulate broadband internet service as a utility. Internet providers are also no longer able to implement “fast lanes” for services that are willing to pay a premium. This prevents ISP’s from favoring their own streaming services and charging fees for third-party services.
These aforementioned groups claim that they support net neutrality but believe that the act “put wireline, wireless and the Internet backbone under sweeping government controls.” The association believes that the government is treating internet providers like “archaic telephone systems”.
The CTIA stated, “This Court’s en banc review is critical because this case is exceptionally important. The FCC has claimed, for the first time, the authority to regulate comprehensively one of the most important communication systems in human history. Few final rules of any federal administrative agency have ever had so much potential to affect the lives of so many Americans”.
Internet providers wanted net neutrality to be determined by Congress instead of the judicial systems. Considering that at least twenty-nine Congressmen at the time had received roughly $800,000 campaign funds from cable companies, this was naturally a problematic route.
Last month the court upheld the law in a 2-1 ruling. The case appeal will be resolved within ninety days. The FCC stated that it is confident that the ruling will be upheld once more, despite the NCTA’s insistence that “the 2015 Order abruptly and unreasonably abandoned that long-established precedent, reverting to an outdated regulatory framework”.
