2-19-14
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says the commission will "accept the invitation" of the DC Circuit Court to "act to preserve a free and open Internet" with new net neutrality rules. Wheeler said in a statement that his proposed rules will "meet the court's test for preventing improper blocking of and discrimination among Internet traffic."
Last year the DC Circuit overruled the FCC's rules on net neutrality in the FCC v. Verizon case, on the basis that the FCC was attempting to impose "common carrier" regulation on the Internet. The ruling said, "Because the commission has failed to establish that the anti-discrimination and anti-blocking rules to not impose per se common carrier obligations, we vacate those portions of the [FCC's] Open Internet Order."
So Wheeler is taking another shot at it, saying he'd like to "enforce and enhance" the transparency rules that were upheld by the court in the Verizon case and find a persuasive legal rationale for a "no-blocking" rule that would protect the edge providers that use the Internet to deliver goods and services. He said, "We will carefully consider how, consistent with the court opinion, we can ensure that edge providers are not unfairly blocked, explicitly or implicitly, from reaching consumers, as well as ensuring that consumers can continue to access any lawful content and services they choose."
Wheeler also said the FCC will keep on the table the possibility of reclassifying Internet access as a telecommunications service -- giving the FCC the authority to regulate it as such. Additionally, since Wheeler feels the court ruling gave the FCC the OK to new rules, the commission won't be taking FCC v. Verizon back to court.
Read Wheeler's full statement here:
www.fcc.gov/document/statement-fcc-chairman-tom-wheeler-fccs-open-internet-rules
Wheeler also announced that a new docket to solicit public comment has been opened, called "Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet."
The Republican members of the commission are skeptical of the move, with Commissioner Ajit Pai comparing the announcement to the movie Groundhog Day and saying, "The Internet was free and open before the FCC adopted net neutrality rules. It remains free and open today. Net neutrality has always been a solution in search of a problem."
Commissioner Mike O'Reilly, meanwhile, said in a statement that he is "deeply concerned by the announcement" adding, "It appears that the FCC is tilting at windmills here. Instead of fostering investment and innovation through deregulation, the FCC will be devoting its resources to adopting new rules without any evidence that consumers are unable to access the content of their choice."
(2/19/2014 10:53:19 PM)
I thought he was a Nigger - LOL!
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