FCC head outlines plans for Open Internet rejig

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will introduce a proposal next month for a new plan to replace the existing Open Internet order, also referred to as Title II, Chairman Ajit Pai said Wednesday. Speaking at an event in Washington, D.C., the head of the American telecom regulator said his proposal — the text of which will be released Thursday — aims to “reverse the mistake of Title II and return to the light-touch regulatory framework that served our nation so well” during the Clinton administration, Bush administration and the first six years of the Obama administration.” According to Pai, the basic elements of the proposal involve reclassifying broadband Internet as an information service under Title 1 of the Communications Act, instead of as a telecommunications service under Title II; getting rid of the “so-called Internet conduct standard,” which he said “gives the FCC a rolling mandate to micromanage the business practices of Internet companies — including investigating zero-rating offerings; and “seeking comment on how we should approach the so-called Bright Line Rules adopted in 2015.” Those rules prohibit ISPs from blocking content, throttling traffic, and prioritizing traffic for those willing to pay for a fast lane. The commission will vote on Pai’s proposal at its May 18 meeting, and if approved, it will be put out for public consultation, the chairman said. “Some have called upon the FCC to reverse Title II immediately through what is known as a declaratory ruling. But I don’t believe that’s the right path forward,” he said. “This decision should be made through an open, transparent process in which every American can share his or her views.” Pai said his plan will increase access to high-speed networks, because “without the heavy hand of government regulation companies will spend more money building next generation networks,” it will create jobs with the construction of those networks, and will better protect online privacy by returning authority to the Federal Trade Commission.

FCC head outlines plans for Open Internet rejig

Brief | April 26, 2017

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FCC head outlines plans for Open Internet rejig

Brief | April 26, 2017

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