The broadband industry in the United States has been defeated in its lawsuit suing the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) reclassification of Internet Service Providers as common carriers and Net Neutrality regulations. However, in Tuesday’s ruling, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit said the FCC’s categorization of broadband as a utility is unquestionable.
The victory of Net Neutrality
Tom Wheeler, Chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, said in his statement:
“Today’s ruling is a victory for consumers and innovators who deserve unfettered access to the entire web, and it ensures the Internet remains a platform for unparalleled innovation, free expression, and economic growth. After a decade of debate and legal battles, today’s ruling affirms the Commission’s ability to enforce the strongest possible internet protections – both on fixed and mobile networks – that will ensure the internet remains open, now and in the future.”
Back in February 2015, the Federal Communications Commission categorized broadband in the public domain. With the help of such a classification, FCC would be capable of creating protocols that would prevent Internet Service Providers from charging different rates for a different set of instructions. What it means is that any data or information in the form of 0’s and 1’s driving through an Internet Service Provider must be treated equally. It is essentially what Net Neutrality is all about.
Soon after that, the telecom and cable operators came together to sue the US government. According to them, FCC went too far with its authority. The FCC he US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit seemed to be in no mood to favor the telecoms.
Broadband will continue to be regulated as a utility because the FCC did have the authority to classify it as such. The US citizens will now no longer require entertaining the dictatorship imposed by its broadband industry.
