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Tag: Net Neutrality

  • Net Neutrality Bill Introduced in US Congress

    Net Neutrality Bill Introduced in US Congress

    Lawmakers are looking to revive net neutrality, introducing a bill that would make it law rather than relying on a US agency’s regulatory authority.

    Net neutrality prohibits internet service providers from favoring their own services or creating fast lanes and charging companies for using them. The initial net neutrality rules were struck down by the Federal Communications Commission under Chairman Ajit Pai, despite broad support within the tech industry.

    Senators Edward J. Markey and Ron Wyden, and Representative Doris Matsui have brought the new bill before Congress in an effort ensure net neutrality remains the law of the land and cannot easily be overturned by the whims of FCC personnel.

    “The Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act reflects the undeniable fact that today, broadband is not a luxury. It is essential. That means the potential harms that internet users face without strong net neutrality protections ahttps://www.dev.webpronews.com/net-neutrality-ruling/?swcfpc=1nd without the FCC able to exercise its proper authority are more sweeping than ever,” said Senator Markey. “My legislation would reverse the damaging approach adopted by the Trump FCC, which left broadband access unregulated and consumers unprotected. It would give the FCC the tools it needs to protect the free and open internet, creating a just broadband future for everyone in our country. I thank my partners for their support for this critical legislation.”

    Opponents say the measure is unnecessary and point to the fact that net neutrality has not existed during the time the internet was created and became such an integral part of modern life.

    Read more: The Case for Net Neutrality: AT&T Favoring HBO Max Over Netflix

    Proponents of net neutrality say the measure is necessary to keep the internet free and open, especially for smaller up-and-coming companies. They argue that the makeup of the internet, and today’s internet-based companies, is far different than it was in the early days, and without net neutrality, today’s startups won’t have the same opportunities as past companies.

    For example, if a company like AT&T or Comcast — companies that control access to the internet for millions and have their own media platforms — can charge more for competitors to provide services across their networks, smaller companies would be at a major disadvantage.

    “For anyone who wants more innovation, more voices and less corporate control of the internet, net neutrality is an absolute no-brainer,” said Senator Wyden. “I wrote the first Senate net neutrality bill to protect the open internet, where bits are bits and no one has to pay extra for digital toll roads just to learn, shop or get health care online. Oregon and other states have stepped up in the wake of the Trump Administration’s damaging actions. Now I’m proud to partner with Senator Markey and Rep. Matsui to restore net neutrality across the country and prevent big cable from gouging consumers and small businesses.”

    “The 21st century economy relies on a free and open internet – providing innovators and consumers with access to vital services and information,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “Trump-era deregulation has left the internet landscape without comprehensive consumer protections, allowing discriminatory practices that leave everyday Americans facing the consequences. For the online ecosystem to remain a dynamic engine of innovation, we need clear rules of the road that prevent internet service providers from blocking, slowing and prioritizing web traffic. This bill will give the FCC the power to adapt to the ever-changing marketplace, defend equitable access and promote free expression and innovation online.”

    It’s unclear if there is enough support in either branch of Congress to pass the law before the mid-term elections.

  • President Biden to Nominate Jessica Rosenworcel to FCC Chair

    President Biden to Nominate Jessica Rosenworcel to FCC Chair

    President Biden is preparing to make his nominations for key positions, including nominating Jessica Rosenworcel as FCC Chair.

    Jessica Rosenworcel has been serving as acting chairwoman of the Federal Communications Commission since the outset of the Biden administration. In a somewhat surprising move, the administration had previously made no attempts to permanently fill the role, or nominate someone to the fill the remaining commissioner seat. As a result, the FCC has remained evenly divided, 2-2, an unusual situation when compared with past administrations.

    The White House has revealed its plans to nominate Rosenworcel as Chair, and Gigi Sohn as Commissioner. Sohn previously “served as Counselor to Former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler” and was a strong proponent of net neutrality.

    Should the nominations pass the Senate, the FCC will have the voting power necessary to reinstitute net neutrality rules and other changes that many have been advocating for.

  • ISPs Spent $8.2 Million Buying Fake Anti-Net Neutrality Comments

    ISPs Spent $8.2 Million Buying Fake Anti-Net Neutrality Comments

    A new report by the New York Attorney General shows the largest US ISPs funded a campaign that resulted in millions of fake comments opposing net neutrality.

    Net neutrality legislation is designed to prevent companies, especially ISPs, from favoring one service over another, or throttling a competing service. For example, net neutrality would prevent AT&T from throttling Netflix, or charging it more, just because it competes with AT&T’s HBO Max streaming service.

    Net neutrality rules were passed during the Obama administration, and promptly rescinded during the Trump administration. A coalition of companies unsuccessfully fought to prevent their demise, although individual states were granted the right to implement their own rules. As part of the FCC’s decision to rescind net neutrality, it solicited comments from the public.

    According to a new report, however, “the Office of the New York Attorney General (OAG) found that fake comments accounted for nearly 18 million of the more than 22 million comments the FCC received during its 2017 rulemaking.”

    There also appears to be significant amount of collaboration among the various players in the broadband industry, all with the goal of swaying the decisions on net neutrality.

    Internal emails and other documents that the OAG reviewed in its investigation show that, in April 2017, the country’s largest broadband companies banded together to fund a campaign to generate millions of comments for the FCC’s 2017 net neutrality rulemaking proceeding. The primary funders included an industry trade group and three companies that are among the biggest players in the United States internet, phone, and cable market, with more than 65 million American subscribers among them and a combined market value of approximately half a trillion dollars. The effort was intended to create the appearance of widespread grassroots opposition to existing net neutrality rules, which — as described in an internal campaign planning document — would help provide “cover” for the FCC’s proposed repeal. The broadband industry hid its role in the campaign by recruiting anti-regulation advocacy groups, unrelated to the industry, to serve as the campaign’s public face. Budget documents show that, in all, the broadband industry players that funded the campaign spent $4.2 million generating and submitting more than 8.5 million fake comments to the FCC.

    The campaign was run through Broadband for America, a non-profit organization that includes AT&T, Charter Comcast, Cox and CenturyLink.

    The AG did not find any evidence of fraud on the part of the ISPs, thanks to their using an outside group to run the campaign. Nonetheless, the AG’s report calls for change.

    As this report makes clear, deception and fraud have infected public policymaking by agencies and legislatures, drowning out citizens’ voices with manufactured and fraudulent public comments, letters, and petitions (collectively referred to as “comments and messages” in this Recommendations section of the report). Reform is badly needed.

  • Mozilla Leads the Charge For Net Neutrality’s Reinstatement

    Mozilla Leads the Charge For Net Neutrality’s Reinstatement

    Mozilla, along with a coalition of companies, has sent a letter to the FCC asking for the reinstatement of net neutrality.

    Net neutrality rules were passed during the Obama administration and repealed during the Trump administration. Net neutrality prohibits companies from treating different services or types of internet traffic by different standards, or setting up internet “fast lanes” for companies that pay more.

    For example, AT&T customers were able to watch HBO Max — which AT&T owns — on their mobile devices without the streaming counting against their data plans. In contrast, competing streaming services did count. If this type of practice became widespread, it could cause users to gravitate toward or away from certain services, based solely on the whims of the carriers and internet providers with a financial motivation to push or punish a particular service.

    In the case of AT&T, they announced they are dropping their preferential treatment of HBO Max as a result of California’s net neutrality legislation. While net neutrality was killed on a national level, individual states are free to impose their own rules, setting up a potential legislative quagmire.

    Mozilla, ADT, Dropbox, Eventbrite, Reddit, Vimeo and Wikimedia have now sent a letter to the FCC asking the agency to reinstate federal-level net neutrality.

    We are writing to express our support for the reinstatement of net neutrality protections through Federal Communications Commission (FCC) action. As leading internet-based businesses and organizations, we believe that these fundamental safeguards are critical for preserving the internet as a free and open medium that promotes innovation and spurs economic growth. Net neutrality enjoys bipartisan support among the American public, and many may need to rely on protections enforced by the FCC as more offices and classrooms continue to shift to online settings during the pandemic. By using its authority to restore net neutrality at the federal level, the FCC can help protect families and businesses across the country that rely on high-speed broadband access and help spark our recovery.

    Net neutrality simply preserves the environment that has allowed the internet to become an engine for economic growth. The rules serve as protections that users have in their relationship with internet service providers, preventing ISPs from blocking, throttling, or prioritizing traffic for payment. And in an environment where users frequently lack meaningful choices between ISPs, net neutrality can ultimately encourage greater long-term investment across the network stack by promoting broadband buildout, faster service, and new applications.

    While the current administration has not commented on its intentions, some experts believe it is only a matter of time before net neutrality is reinstated. Given the digital transformation underway, such legislation would go a long way toward protecting all users and companies.

  • AT&T Will Start Counting HBO Max Against Data Plans

    AT&T Will Start Counting HBO Max Against Data Plans

    AT&T has announced it will start counting HBO Max against wireless data plans, ending a previous exemption.

    Streaming HBO Max did not previously count against an individual’s data plan. No matter how much a person streamed the service on their phone or tablet, it had no bearing on their wireless plan’s data limits. In contrast, competing services such as Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, fuboTV and others counted.

    AT&T is now ending that exemption, beginning March 25, citing California’s net neutrality law.

    “A state-by-state approach to ‘net neutrality’ is unworkable,” AT&T said in a statement, according to CNBC. “A patchwork of state regulations, many of them overly restrictive, creates roadblocks to creative and pro-consumer solutions.”

    Net neutrality laws are designed to make sure all services are treated fairly, with no service being given an unfair advantage. Although the FCC reversed the Obama-era net neutrality rules, a court ruled that individual states could enact their own.

  • Tim Wu, the Man Who Coined ‘Net Neutrality,’ Joins Biden Administration

    Tim Wu, the Man Who Coined ‘Net Neutrality,’ Joins Biden Administration

    Tim Wu is joining the Biden administration, likely signaling increased scrutiny for Big Tech.

    Tim Wu, a Columbia law professor, famously coined the phrase “net neutrality” and has been a vocal critic of the tech industry. Wu has also been a proponent of more aggressive antitrust action against Amazon, Facebook and Google.

    He has been hired by the Biden administration specifically to work on Technology and Competition Policy.

    https://twitter.com/superwuster/status/1367814526159253506?s=20

    Big Tech has been in the spotlight more and more over antitrust concerns. While ominous, Wu’s appointment isn’t necessarily a bad thing for tech companies. Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO, said Big Tech should take a more proactive approach, embrace additional regulation and move forward with clear guidelines it can operate within.

    “If I’m in these guys’ shoes, I say, come on, let’s get down there and let’s regulate me and let’s get it over with so I know what I can do,” Ballmer said in a “Squawk Box” interview.

    “I’ll bet money that they will not be broken up,” Ballmer continued in his comments to CNBC.

    “I also don’t think the case of Apple is the same as Google is the same as Amazon,” Ballmer added. “In a sense putting them all together makes good theater but it doesn’t necessarily mean good policy.”

  • DOJ Halts Net Neutrality Lawsuit Against California

    DOJ Halts Net Neutrality Lawsuit Against California

    The Department of Justice (DOJ) has withdrawn a lawsuit challenging California’s net neutrality rules.

    Net neutrality rules were passed during the Obama administration, with widespread support from companies, tech advocates and citizens. In short, net neutrality ensures a company can’t discriminate against a certain type of internet traffic just because it may have a financial motivation to do so. For example, Comcast would not be allowed to charge more for access to Netflix, just because Netflix competes against Comcast’s media properties.

    Under the Trump administration, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted along party lines to repeal net neutrality. A coalition of companies sued to overturn the ruling, but the court upheld the FCC’s right to repeal. At the same time, however, the courts also ruled that the FCC could not prevent individual states from establishing their own net neutrality legislation.

    California was quick to pass its own rules and, despite the court’s initial ruling, the FCC sued to try to block California’s efforts. With a change of administration, however, the DOJ has withdrawn its suit against California.

    In a statement, acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel praised the DOJ’s decision:

    I am pleased that the Department of Justice has withdrawn this lawsuit. When the FCC, over my objection, rolled back its net neutrality policies, states like California sought to fill the void with their own laws. By taking this step, Washington is listening to the American people, who overwhelmingly support an open internet, and is charting a course to once again make net neutrality the law of the land.

    Many are expecting federal net neutrality rules to be re-established, now that the White House is once again under Democratic control. The DOJ dropping its lawsuit seems like a first step in that direction.

  • FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Will Resign in January

    FCC Chairman Ajit Pai Will Resign in January

    Ajit Pai, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has announced he will step down on January 20.

    Chairman Pai has presided over the FCC for the last four years, enacting a number of controversial changes. Most notably, Pai oversaw the repeal of the Obama-era net neutrality rules, as well as pursued efforts to block states from implementing their own. At the same time, under Pai’s oversight, the FCC focused on closing the digital divide and paving the way for faster 5G adoption.

    Given the incoming Biden/Harris administration’s stand on net neutrality, and tech in general, it is not surprising that Chairman Pai is planning to resign. In is statement announcing his departure Pai highlighted his accomplishments, both personal and professional:

    It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve at the Federal Communications Commission, including as Chairman of the FCC over the past four years. I am grateful to President Trump for giving me the opportunity to lead the agency in 2017, to President Obama for appointing me as a Commissioner in 2012, and to Senate Majority Leader McConnell and the Senate for twice confirming me. To be the first Asian-American to chair the FCC has been a particular privilege. As I often say: only in America.

    I also deeply appreciate the chance to have worked alongside the FCC’s talented staff. They are the agency’s best assets, and they have performed heroically, especially during the pandemic. It’s also been an honor to work with my fellow Commissioners to execute a strong and broad agenda. Together, we’ve delivered for the American people over the past four years: closing the digital divide; promoting innovation and competition, from 5G on the ground to broadband from space; protecting consumers; and advancing public safety. And this FCC has not shied away from making tough choices. As a result, our nation’s communications networks are now faster, stronger, and more widely deployed than ever before.

    Although it seems likely the incoming administration will reinstate net neutrality rules, it remains to be seen what other changes or rollbacks may be in store for current FCC policies.

  • Net Neutrality and a Biden Presidency

    Net Neutrality and a Biden Presidency

    A Biden presidency could have an enormous impact on net neutrality, one of the most contested rules in recent years.

    Net neutrality laws were implemented under President Obama. The purpose of the regulation was to ensure platforms had equal footing, regardless of size or reach. Proponents of net neutrality say it is vital to ensure internet service providers can’t choke out a competitor by charging it or its customers more for access. A perfect example is AT&T recently favoring its own HBO Max service over Netflix, by now counting HBO Max access against customers’ mobile data usage.

    Opponents of the regulation say it unnecessarily regulates the internet and stifles investment. These companies, including at one point AT&T, Comcast and Verizon, point to the long and successful history of the internet without any such regulation existing.

    Shortly after Ajit Pai was appointed FCC Chairman, the FCC rolled back the net neutrality rules, despite its broad support from Microsoft, Google, Mozilla, Netflix and others. Supporters of net neutrality unsuccessfully sued to prevent the rollback. While the courts said the FCC was within its rights, it did not allow the FCC to block individual states from implementing their own net neutrality rules, as some have done.

    Throughout the campaign, Joe Biden said very little about net neutrality, although its restoration is part of the Democratic platform. As a result, it’s a safe bet we haven’t heard the last of net neutrality on a national scale.

  • AT&T CEO: HBO Max At Huge Disadvantage To Big Tech

    AT&T CEO: HBO Max At Huge Disadvantage To Big Tech

    AT&T’s streaming video service HBO Max is at a huge disadvantage to tech companies in the streaming video market says AT&T CEO, John Stankey.

    “There’s no doubt that we really should be focused on equality of access from the edge providers and those that are owning operating systems or have incredibly powerful platforms that have aggregated huge amounts of the customer base,” said AT&T CEO John Stankey. “Our focus needs to be on equity of rules and engagement to ensure that anybody who wants to innovate can take these platforms that have over 50% of share in many instances and everybody can equally get out to it.”

    John Stankey, CEO of AT&T, Inc. says that the focus should be on edge providers now. He chuckles about the huge amount of debate that went into the net neutrality debate:

    I certainly hope it’s a sustainable model. I’m trying to remember when we were last a gatekeeper… it’s been a long time. If I think about what happens moving forward right now and the dynamic there’s no doubt that we really should be focused on equality of access from the edge providers and those that are owning operating systems or have incredibly powerful platforms that have aggregated huge amounts of the customer base. I chuckle and I think back about all the calories that were expended over something like net neutrality.

    When you look at this moment we’ve come through where networks have been absolutely so critical moving through this pandemic there has not been a single instance of somebody talking about my network provider blocking me or preventing me from doing what I wanted to do. In fact, the policy that’s in place has allowed for remarkably scaled broadband networks to perform incredibly well. That’s a bit different than what we’ve seen in other parts of the world.

    Where the bottlenecks are sometimes occurring are in these commercial agreements and dynamics that are happening between say an Amazon Fire distribution platform or to what’s happening in IoS and maybe a gaming player on it. Our focus probably needs to be on equity of rules and engagement to ensure that anybody who wants to innovate can take these platforms that have over 50% of share in many instances and everybody can equally get out to it. This is a debate about the Edge, not a debate about network neutrality, which we are going to have to be mindful of.

  • DOJ Takes Another Shot At State-Level Net Neutrality

    DOJ Takes Another Shot At State-Level Net Neutrality

    The DOJ is asking a federal judge to overturn California’s net neutrality law, arguing that federal law should take precedence.

    The FCC voted to undo Obama-era net neutrality laws, a move that was challenged in court. Although the appeals court upheld the FCC’s right to repeal the law, it did hand a victory to proponents of net neutrality. The FCC had ruled that states had no right to implement their own versions of the law. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, however, ruled that the FCC could not stop individual states from implementing net neutrality on a state level.

    Despite that ruling, it appears the DOJ is still fighting to prevent states from implementing their own laws, specifically targeting California. Following the appeals court ruling, California implemented its own rules, very similar to the rules the FCC overturned. California’s law has been welcomed and supported by tech companies and consumer groups alike.

    Reuters is reporting the DOJ “is seeking a preliminary injunction to block California from being able to enforce its law.” The DOJ evidently believes the federal law preempts California’s, despite the appeals court specifically ruling to the contrary.

    Needless to say, whichever way the court rules on this latest challenge will have profound repercussions.

  • The Case for Net Neutrality: AT&T Favoring HBO Max Over Netflix

    The Case for Net Neutrality: AT&T Favoring HBO Max Over Netflix

    AT&T is not counting access to HBO Max against customers’ mobile data plans, unlike Netflix or competing services.

    Net neutrality was legislation designed to prevent any company from favoring one service over another. It would prevent ISPs who also provided content, from prioritizing performance and access to their own services over those of competitors.

    With AT&T’s HBO Max, however, it seems the ISP is showing preferential treatment. AT&T, like most wireless carriers, offers unlimited mobile data, but throttles speeds if an individual goes above a certain usage threshold.

    According to The Verge, it seems AT&T is exempting HBO Max from counting against a person’s data usage. At the same time, however, Netflix, Disney+ and other services are not exempt.

    This is a classic example that illustrates why consumer groups and companies alike supported net neutrality. Without net neutrality, companies can unfairly stack the deck against competitors or startups, potentially killing rivals before they ever have a chance to be a threat.

    Unfortunately for the legislation, one of the first things the FCC did under the Trump administration was gut the legislation and repeal it. AT&T is now providing a perfect example of what happens when net neutrality doesn’t exist.

  • Appeals Court Won’t Revisit Net Neutrality Repeal

    Appeals Court Won’t Revisit Net Neutrality Repeal

    Reuters is reporting that a U.S. appeals court has refused to revisit an October ruling that upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of net neutrality.

    In 2017, the FCC repealed net neutrality rules that had been implemented under the Obama administration. The net neutrality rules prohibited companies from blocking or throttling traffic, or charging extra for so called “fast lanes.” Without net neutrality, companies like Comcast—which provides internet service and owns cable TV channels and a movie studio—could throttle traffic to competing companies, such as Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime. Alternatively, companies could charge more to access those competing services.

    Such a scenario would end up being costly to consumers and could unfairly prevent media startups from having a chance of success. After all, if consumers can’t access their sites, apps or services without paying more, new companies may be doomed from the get-go.

    As a result, consumer groups, industry groups and tech companies all opposed the repeal, warning of the potentially disastrous consequences. Today’s ruling, however, represents a big win for FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, who pushed for the repeal.

    Now, net neutrality’s future is in the hands of individual states, some of whom have already passed their own rules. While the FCC initially said states could not pass net neutrality laws on their own, the October ruling said the FCC overstepped and had no authority to prevent states from taking such measures.

  • Appeal Court Rules on Net Neutrality: Both Sides Declare Victory

    Appeal Court Rules on Net Neutrality: Both Sides Declare Victory

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has ruled on the controversial net neutrality rollbacks passed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In 2018 the FCC moved to deregulate the broadband and telecommunications industries, setting off a battle that has repercussions for the very core of the Internet.

    At the heart of the issue is whether companies have the right to deprioritize certain kinds of Internet traffic, or charge companies and consumers more to deliver or access certain kinds of content. Proponents of the FCC’s decision praised it as one that would drive innovation and help keep costs low.

    On the other hand, critics warned that it would allow large companies to unfairly shut out smaller competitors. For example, rolling back net neutrality could allow a company like AT&T to charge Netflix exorbitantly more in an effort to protect AT&T’s DirecTV from competition. Alternately, a broadband provider could offer their own content free, while charging customers more to access a competitor’s.

    In response to the FCC’s ruling, a coalition of companies and groups, led by Mozilla, sued the agency in an effort to block the new rules. In today’s ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals upheld the FCC’s right to roll back net neutrality, finding that the agency did not overreach its authority in its 2018 ruling.

    At the same time, however, the court handed a partial victory to critics of the FCC’s new rules, as it provides a way for states and localities to implement their own net neutrality requirements. In the FCC’s new rules, the agency had included an order prohibiting state and local governments from implementing their own rules. Now that the appeals court has struck down that order, those entities are free to pursue their own regulations, ensuring net neutrality will live on.

  • The Death of Net Neutrality and What it Means for Consumers

    The Death of Net Neutrality and What it Means for Consumers

    It finally happened. The repeal of net neutrality laws by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) took effect on Monday.

    According to the FCC, the repeal will put an end to the “unnecessary, heavy-handed regulations” implemented by the previous administration and move forward with “common-sense regulations that will promote investment and broadband deployment.”

    The net neutrality rules, which were passed in 2015 during the tenure of President Barack Obama, prevented internet providers from giving special treatment to specific websites or charging them more for particular content. However, current FCC Chairman Ajit Pai opposed these regulations as he believed they impeded innovation.

    What It Means for Consumers

    Most internet users and consumer advocates are rightly worried that the repeal of Title II, or the net neutrality bill, means that broadband providers would start to sell their services in bundles, much like how cable television is packaged. For instance, some providers might require users to pay for a social media premium bundle in order to access platforms like Instagram and Twitter.

    There are also concerns that without the protections of the neutrality law, internet providers can slow down their competitor’s traffic or any other site they want to slow down. Conversely, they can also create “fast lanes,” which companies with deep enough pockets can take advantage of in return for faster connectivity.

    This also means that the playing field could be biased against small companies or eCommerce startups that will have to fight harder for exposure. Freelancers and other remote workers might also have to shell out more money to work from home.

    Can Net Neutrality be Revived?

    While it’s understandable for consumers to be wary about the FCC repeal, it will reportedly be months before any changes are felt. In the meantime, several states have already taken steps to protect net neutrality. The governors of Montana, New York, and Washington have either signed a law or issued executive orders to counter federal rules regarding the internet.

    There’s also a motion in the lower House right now that could push Republicans to vote to reinstate the 2015 net neutrality rules. Voters still have a say on this as they can either force their state representative to take a stand or vote out and replace them with someone who supports their stand on a free internet.

    For their part, some internet providers have publicly pledged that they will not throttle or block sites even with the repeal of Title II. Their only argument against the bill was the fact that the FCC had so much control over their business and that the regulations made expansion difficult.

  • Did Senate Democrats Really Save Net Neutrality? The House Has Yet to Vote

    Did Senate Democrats Really Save Net Neutrality? The House Has Yet to Vote

    The US Senate voted on Wednesday to save net neutrality. The chambers used the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to stop the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision to undo regulations regarding Internet usage set during the term of President Barack Obama.

    The bill was passed with a 52 to 47 vote, with the Democrats and Independents receiving some surprising support from Republicans John Kennedy and Lisa Murkowski. The duo represents Louisiana and Alaska respectively. As expected, Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine also voted in favor of net neutrality.

    Collins had long announced her support for the CRA move, but Kennedy and Murkowski’s stand on the matter was relatively unknown.

    Kennedy later admitted to the Washington Post that it was difficult to make a decision but it all boiled down to who you were going to trust. As Kennedy explained, those who trusted their cable companies won’t be happy with his vote but “If you don’t trust your cable company, you will.”

    Meanwhile, Murkowski emphasized in a statement that she’s still against some of Obama’s FCC’s regulations but understands the need to safeguard the rights of Internet users.

    “I have voted to pass this resolution today so that we can reset the discussion and move beyond the politics at play here to what is really needed—lasting legislation that will provide certainty and move us beyond shifting regulatory standards that depend on who is running the FCC,” the senator explained.

    Under the Obama administration, regulations prevented broadband providers from blocking, limiting or discriminating against lawful internet content. However, the FCC voted last December to disregard those rules. The FCC’s decision was slated to take effect on June 11, but the new Senate measure effectively blocks that order.

    While the vote to block the FCC might be a major triumph for those supporting net neutrality, they still have a long fight ahead of it. For one, the bill still needs to be approved by the House and signed by President Trump.

    This is where things will potentially get tricky, as net neutrality activists would still have to secure the support of more than 20 Republicans. This is despite having the unanimous support of Democrats. Meanwhile, the White House has been vocal of its support for FCC head Ajit Pai’s move to reverse the regulations set under the previous administration.

    Net neutrality supporters remain hopeful, though. After all, President Trump has changed his mind several times on key issues. There’s also the fact that some Republicans might feel that siding against net neutrality could cause problems in the upcoming midterm elections.

  • The End is Near: Net Neutrality Rules Set to Expire on June 11

    The End is Near: Net Neutrality Rules Set to Expire on June 11

    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced that net neutrality protections will be repealed on June 11, 30 days after the notice was filed on Thursday. Alongside the expiration, new rules governing Internet service providers will also take effect.

    According to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, previous rules were deemed as “utility-styled and heavy-handed.” He also emphasized that the Internet has always been open and free, so there was no need for any restrictions made during the Obama presidency.

    “The Internet wasn’t broken in 2015, when the prior FCC buckled to political pressure and imposed heavy-handed Title II rules on the Internet economy,” Pai expressed in a statement. Despite opposition, Pai’s “Restoring Internet Freedom” proposal was green-lighted in December of last year. However, by April of 2018, only a few of the provisions were implemented due to a prolonged bureaucratic process. But on May 2, the Office of Management and Budget finally signed off the remaining key points.

    Set in the Obama-era, open-internet rules prevented service providers from blocking or slowing down access to specific sites and charging consumers more for faster content loading. Several Internet service providers (ISPs) were accused of throttling and restricting the access of their customers to rival companies with similar offerings. It was a practice that indicated a massive government oversight and jumpstarted FCC investigations under the 2015 rules.

    Once net neutrality rules expire, transparency rules will take effect and ISPs like Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T are mandated to inform their customers when they will limit or restrict content and offer faster options at higher fees. These companies also pledged to be impartial against legal content.

    For net neutrality advocates, the fight for an open Internet continues ahead of the June deadline. Democrat senators have presented a petition to reverse Pai’s repeal and the Senate is set to vote on it next week. Even if the legislation passes Senate and Congress hurdles, President Donald Trump is expected to reject it.  

    More than 20 states have filed a lawsuit to block the net neutrality repeal. Several states have adopted laws enforcing the principles of net neutrality within their borders. FCC, however, has asserted authority over any state legislation inconsistent with the repeal.  

  • Net Neutrality Repeal Takes Effect in April, States are Fighting Back with Last-Minute Lawsuits

    Net Neutrality Repeal Takes Effect in April, States are Fighting Back with Last-Minute Lawsuits

    The days of net neutrality are numbered. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has finally set April 23 as the date when the Obama-era regulations will cease to take effect according to a copy of the order published on Thursday with the Federal Register. But of course, various net neutrality supporters are not going to take this one lying down and are expected to file lawsuits as a last-ditch effort to challenge the repeal.

    Net neutrality regulations were put in place during the Obama administration to ensure that all internet traffic is treated equally. With this safeguard in place, broadband companies can’t just slow down or block traffic from certain sites or prioritize other sites when it comes to bandwidth allocation. In addition, internet service providers are barred from accepting money to prioritize certain companies’ websites and make them more accessible to customers.

    Since broadband companies and ISPs act more or less as the net’s gatekeepers, the rules are seen by their supporters as a way to deter abuse of this power. Big tech companies such as Twitter, Google, and Facebook were supportive of net neutrality while big telecom firms such as Verizon, Comcast, and AT&T opposed the regulations and clamored for their repeal.

    Net neutrality opponents scored a major victory last December when FCC voted 3-2 to have the laws repealed. However, supporters are expected to fight back by filing lawsuits questioning the repeal. In fact, attorneys general in more than 20 states, as well as tech companies such as Mozilla, have already filed lawsuits last month to stop the repeal from taking effect. They are expected to refile their lawsuits within 10 days after FCC’s order was published in the Federal Register.

    Congress is given a 60 day period to pass a resolution to reverse FCC’s repeal. Democrats, who support net neutrality, say that they already have 50 votes in the Senate and lack only one more to pass the bill. Such a bill might face a tough time in the House of Representatives considering that Republicans control a larger majority.

    However, some states are not waiting for a vote on the bill and have passed net neutrality laws within their areas. For instance, New Jersey, New York, and already have their own net neutrality policies that ISPs need to adhere to.

    [Featured image via Pixabay]

  • How Will the Repeal of Net Neutrality Affect Small Business?

    How Will the Repeal of Net Neutrality Affect Small Business?

    The issue of net neutrality has permeated the news, talk shows, and discussion boards for a while now. Different sectors have already voiced their concerns about how repealing net neutrality will affect consumers and businesses. Meanwhile, many people are still confused about the magnitude of the issue.

    What is Net Neutrality?

    Net Neutrality, or the Open Internet as it’s also called, works around the premise that all internet service providers (ISPs) should treat and deliver web traffic, content, and applications equally. There were concerns that some providers might slow down broadband connections to rivals or boost speed to content providers that are connected to subsidiaries.

    Regulations passed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) during Barack Obama’s presidential term sought to protect net neutrality by classifying the Internet as a “Title II” carrier. Under the Communications Act, ISPs had to disclose data caps and hidden fees and were prevented from interfering with the speed of their competitor’s sites and apps.

    However, the current chairman of the FCC, Ajit Pai, indicated earlier this year that he planned to undo the existing regulations against ISPs. Pai has long been against the Title II regulations, as he believes it hinders innovation. He also claimed that even before the 2015 regulations were enforced, ISPs did not engage in the practices that the Act prohibits.

    Pai’s campaign to repeal the Net Neutrality law successfully pushed through on Dec. 14, when the organization voted in favor of the repeal.

    What Happens Now?

    The FCC’s decision to rollback the previous administration’s policies on Net Neutrality could lead to several things. Open Internet advocates believe that the repeal could cause the creation of a high-speed internet lane for big internet, established media companies, and rich households. Meanwhile, the rest of consumers and businesses will be relegated to the slow lane. Mobile plans are also expected to be affected due to its built-in data caps. This could lead to telecom companies charging more for access to streaming services or particular websites.

    Image result for net neutrality

    How Will Repeal of Net Neutrality Affect Small Business?

    A lot of people are under the impression that the FCC’s decision to repeal the Communications Act would negatively affect small businesses. The concern is justified as it appears to give more advantages to established or richer companies. How else does the repeal of open internet affect startups?

    • Service Providers Could Choose the Winners and Losers in the Market

    As previously mentioned, one of the main concerns of the repeal is how it gives ISPs the power to throttle web traffic to its competitors or small businesses and allow big companies or ISPs subsidiaries or partners to get faster speed.

    Site speed plays a key role in how companies are ranked in Google’s search engines. Startups are afraid that if their site is being throttled by certain ISPs, their rankings will go down and they have no way of fighting it.

    Throttling will have a big effect on video marketing companies that rely on speed in order to stream videos with limited buffering and interruptions. Established video companies like Netflix can pay the extra cost, but small businesses might not be able to.

    • Competition Will be Split

    The Obama-era FCC regulation ensured that no broadband company can try to outperform other ISPs. This gives all companies, regardless of the size, the capacity to offer the same speed, with no limitations.

    However, some sectors are saying that reversing Title II will split the competition between ISPs and permit them to offer more free data plans or flexible pricing. This is a development that smaller ISPs might not be able to offer to consumers and could potentially cause these companies to flounder. Still others are saying that this can push smaller providers to become more creative and come up with offers that would attract other audiences, thereby giving them the opportunity to diversify and distinguish themselves from their more established counterparts.

    • Small Businesses Will Experience Financial Challenges

    There’s a risk that smaller companies will be unduly burdened when premiums for faster internet and high speeds are levied on them. Depending on how expensive these fees are, startups might experience financial challenges just to promote their business and gain visibility.

    This could also lead to small companies making cuts in other areas just to ensure an online presence. It could lead to salary cuts or slower job growth until the business finally gains a consistent online presence.

    It’s safe to say that the FCC repeal will not be accepted point blank by consumer groups and the business sector. Lawsuits and appeals have already been filed. However, it’s unclear how the repeal will affect consumers and the economy in the long run.

    [Featured image via YouTube]

  • Net Neutrality Upheld: No Blocking, Throttling or Fast Lanes, Cisco Slams

    Net Neutrality Upheld: No Blocking, Throttling or Fast Lanes, Cisco Slams

    The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit released their ruling today upholding the FCC’s current Net Neutrality rules.

    The ruling stated:

    But nothing about affording indiscriminate access to internet content suggests that the broadband provider agrees with the content an end user happens to access. Because a broadband provider does not—and is not understood by users to—“speak” when providing neutral access to internet content as common carriage, the First Amendment poses no bar to the open internet rules.

    FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler and the FCC praised the ruling:

    Cisco Slams Ruling:

    “Cisco is disappointed in the DC Circuit’s decision to uphold the FCC’s open Internet rules.

    We believe in an open Internet and that balanced rules to protect consumers and prevent anti-competitive behavior are necessary and appropriate. But uncertain regulation under Title II, as provided for by the FCC and upheld by this court, diminishes the enthusiasm for new investments in broadband networks and limits new innovation and business models.

    This is particularly true at a time when the Internet continues to evolve and innovative new services are coming to market every day, including Internet of Things technologies, telemedicine, distance learning, emergency services, and mobile 5G.

    One bright spot. The FCC rules do recognize that the open internet rules are not appropriate for enterprise networks and specialized services. This will enable new services to obtain the quality of service needed to foster innovation in these areas, and we anticipate that entrepreneurs will explore both of these options going forward.

    The discussion over these issues is not going away because the Internet ecosystem continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. Policymakers need to remain focused on ensuring that these rules support the development of new technologies and business models.”

    Part of a dissent published in the ruling concluded:

    The ultimate irony of the Commission’s unreasoned patchwork is that, refusing to inquire into competitive conditions, it shunts broadband service onto the legal track suited to natural monopolies. Because that track provides little economic space for new firms seeking market entry or relatively small firms seeking expansion through innovations in business models or in technology, the Commission’s decision has a decent chance of bringing about the conditions under which some (but by no means all) of its actions could be grounded—the prevalence of incurable monopoly.

    I would vacate the Order.

  • Jeb Bush Wants to Get Rid of Net Neutrality Rules

    “Federal regulation is holding America back from its potential, stifling job creation, inhibiting growth and responding to the needs of special interests rather than Americans,” says Jeb Bush.

    And some of those regulations are the recently-imposed Net Neutrality rules that the FCC outlined earlier this year.

    According to Bush’s official policy positions, the former Florida Governor will work to undo these rules.

    “The Federal Communications Commission’s Net Neutrality rule classifies all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as ‘public utilities,’ subjecting them to antiquated ‘common carrier’ regulation,” says the Bush team in a post titled The Regulatory Crisis in Washington.

    “Rather than enhancing consumer welfare, these rules prohibit one group of companies (ISPs) from charging another group of companies (content companies) the full cost for using their services. Small broadband operators—like KWISP (475 customers in rural Illinois) and Wisper ISP (8,000 customers near St. Louis, Mo)—have declared under penalty of perjury that the Net Neutrality rule has caused them to cut back on investments to upgrade and expand their networks.”

    Earlier this year the FCC, under pressure of the Obama administration, reclassified the Internet as a public utility. Broadband is now considered a telecommunications service, and providers will be regulated.

    The FCC called the new order “strong, sustainable rules, grounded in multiple sources of legal authority, to ensure that Americans reap the economic, social, and civic benefits of an Open Internet today and into the future.”

    The FCC’s Net Neutrality rules ban ISPs from treating some internet traffic differently than others – and forcing content providers to pay for access.

    The “no fast lanes” rules were praised by the likes of the ACLU, Netflix, EFF, and open internet advocates – but criticized by major ISPs like AT&T and Verizon. Republicans in Congress have floated multiple pieces of legislation to reverse the reclassification.

    As Ars Technica points out, Bush would have a few options in getting rid of the FCC’s Net Neutrality rules. He could appoint a new FCC chairperson, or push legislation himself. If passed, he would surely sign it – Obama would surely veto any such laws.

    Bush joins a long list of GOP Presidential nominees to speak out against the Net Neutrality rules.