The long-awaited decision on . Today, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission released the rules in .
The essence of , according to FCC 15-24 A 1, are:
- No blocking
- No throttling
- No letting companies pay for priority to customers (i.e.: no “fast lanes”)
And to clarify that report, the FCC also offered a tip sheet “” regarding the new rules.
- Before the FCC agreed to the new order, there were no rules. Now, there are.
- The new rules also apply to mobile Internet.
- This isn’t the same as regulating utilities, like landline telephones, says the FCC. There will be no tariffs, no rate regulation and no unbundling requirements, no new taxes or fees.
- Your broadband Internet service provider raise prices without approval from the FCC.
- The FCC isn’t regulating the Internet. It’s regulating broadband providers.
- The FCC isn’t regulating IP-based services that aren’t public. This includes a VoIP phone service from a cable company, dedicated heart-monitoring service, e-readers, connected cars and “other innovative data services we cannot imagine today,” the FCC said.
Broomfield’s Level 3 Communications, which handles a lot of the actual Internet traffic that gets delivered from one source to a consumer’s broadband provider, has been a vocal supporter for Net Neutrality. Michael Mooney, the company’s general counsel, has rallied against broadband providers for throttling not the Internet but the connection point between the Internet and the broadband provider’s own pipe, which delivers websites and other content to consumers.
“The Open Internet Order is a huge win for American consumers and for the evolution of the Internet. It means that consumers, not their broadband providers, will control what they can see and do on the Internet. Level 3 is a global supplier of Internet connectivity, and we generally find that good public policy centered on what is good for ordinary American consumers and the Internet generally is also good for our business and for our customers,” said Mooney, in an e-mail. He also wrote about it today in his blog post, “.”
But even as the FCC finalizes the rules, there is still much debate.
The Telecommunications Industry Association, which represents manufacturers and suppliers of high-tech communications networks, called the new rules “a Trojan horse that will open the door to heavy government control,” TIA said .
“Regardless of how far the FCC pushes its future authority, the immediate uncertainty created by this plan will produce a slowdown in capital investment. Consumers and small businesses, who have benefited enormously from the existing regulatory landscape, will bear the burden of a less robust network.”
If you’d like to slog through the 400 pages, go ahead and start right here: . And share your insight with us.
Earlier:
