Depending on your point of view, Congress has been either promising or threatening to come up with a legislative solution to net neutrality, which would do an end-run around the current FCC debate. As of this afternoon, the first draft of the bill is out and the first hearings are on the schedule. So how does it look for fans of an open internet? [More]
net neutrality
Surprise: Sprint Tells FCC That Title II Is Just Fine By Them
By 1.16.15
Ever since the (current) net neutrality fight got started a year ago, the battle lines have been pretty predictable: the companies that sell you access to data don’t really want stronger regulations, and groups that sell things that need you to have access to someone else’s data plan do. But in a surprise move this week, Sprint just broke ranks with the AT&Ts and Verizons of the mobile world to tell the FCC that actually, they’re cool with Title II regulation. [More]
Verizon Investors Worried Company’s Anti-Neutrality Stance Could Backfire
By 1.15.15
Since 2010, when the FCC introduced its first go at net neutrality rules, Verizon has led the charge to gut the regulations. And Big V ultimately succeeded in early 2014, when a federal appeals court ruled that the FCC didn’t have the statutory authority to enact such strict guidelines. And now that the FCC is taking another stab at neutrality, Verizon is once again dangling the threat of legal action, even though it claims the proposed new rules won’t hurt its business. But what may hurt Verizon’s bottom line, say the company’s investors, is its reputation as a neutrality foe. [More]
Lawmakers Claim Congress Better At FCC’s Job Than FCC Is, Plan To Introduce Net Neutrality Proposal
By 1.14.15
Large swaths of Congress are not pleased with the FCC’s moves towards regulating net neutrality, and they got even less pleased after the President threw his weight behind Title II and the FCC started to move in that direction. With the FCC set to vote in February, time for Congress to stick its oar in is running out. So now, in addition to the proposed bill that would bar the FCC outright from using Title II, there will soon be proposed new legislation afoot that seeks to do the FCC’s job for it, without letting the FCC in at all. [More]
Pro-ISP Bill To Block FCC From Using Title II For Internet Introduced In Congress
By 1.13.15
Lawmakers have been happy to opine about the net neutrality fight since the old rule got tossed out a year ago. Now that the FCC is not only set to vote on a new proposal next month, but also likely to take the Title II approach in that proposal, the window is closing for Congress to act, and lawmakers are feeling the urgency. And that is how we find ourselves once again with a bill on the floor seeking to remove the FCC’s authority to classify broadband how it sees fit. [More]
AT&T Says It Can’t Be Sued By FTC Over Throttling Of Unlimited Data Plans
By 1.9.15
Last October, the Federal Trade Commission sued AT&T, alleging that the wireless company failed to adequately disclose to its “unlimited” data customers that it could throttle their network speeds and that this throttling could slow their data speeds by upwards of 90%. In a recent court filing, AT&T claims that the FTC doesn’t have the jurisdiction to bring this lawsuit in the first place. [More]
FCC Chair Hints That Broadband Reclassification Is The Right Path Toward Net Neutrality
By 1.7.15
During an appearance at International CES this afternoon, FCC Chair Tom Wheeler gave indications that he’s leaning toward reclassifying broadband as part of his plan for net neutrality. [More]
AT&T To Free Up More Data For Mobile Subscribers, At Cost Of Net Neutrality
By 1.7.15
Most of us are used to mobile companies clinging tightly to every precious bit and byte of data like a dragon hoards gold. Unlimited data plans were everywhere for a while, then went away, and then kinda sorta came back but not really. This week, AT&T has announced two big changes that will work to free up “bonus” data for their subscribers. One is harmless and maybe even good, but the other could have big, negative repercussions for mobile internet use. [More]
Report: FCC To Vote On New Net Neutrality Proposal In February
By 1.2.15
After months of comments, discussions, hearings, statements, and delays, the FCC is reportedly preparing to vote on a new Open Internet Rule — net neutrality — at their February 26 meeting. [More]
2014: By The Numbers
By 12.31.14
2014 was a record-setting year in an enormous variety of ways, both good and bad. As we wrap up and head into 2015, here’s a look at what happened, and what we learned, in the 2014 that was. [More]
Comcast, Charter, TWC All Admit That Strong Net Neutrality Rules Won’t Actually Be The End Of The World
By 12.16.14
Every single one of the big ISPs has been spending the better part of a year telling both the government and the public that using Title II to regulate net neutrality would be so counterproductive, ineffective, and unlawful that it would ruin the whole internet for everyone forever. Their main threat has been that with tighter regulation, they will stop spending money investing in networks. But to their investors, company executives are telling a different tale entirely: Comcast, Charter, and Time Warner Cable have now joined Verizon in admitting that from an investment standpoint, Title II won’t really harm them or change much of anything at all. [More]
Verizon: New Net Neutrality Rules Won’t Actually Hurt Our Network Investment At All (But We’ll Still Sue)
By 12.11.14
All of the big ISPs have been full of bluster about the FCC’s pending new net neutrality rules, but none more so than Verizon. Verizon is the company that sued in the first place to get the 2010 rule overturned, and they are the company that has been most aggressive with promises to sue again when the FCC actually comes up with a rule. Their main argument has been that strong regulation will damage their ability to invest in their networks — but it seems even Verizon’s own top executives don’t fall for that nonsense. [More]
Verizon Pinky-Swears It Won’t Sue FCC Over Net Neutrality (If It Doesn’t Reclassify Broadband)
By 11.25.14
A few weeks after Verizon made it clear that it would sue to block the FCC’s attempt to enact strong net neutrality rules, and only days after FCC Chair Tom Wheeler shrugged that a lawsuit seems inevitable no matter what he does, the telecom titan is now saying it may not go the legal route if the Commission decides against reclassification. [More]
FCC Expects To Be Sued Over Net Neutrality No Matter What It Does
By 11.24.14
In 2010, the FCC enacted net neutrality rules aimed to prevent Internet service providers from blocking, slowing down, or speeding up access to websites based on how much they pay — and the agency was sued by Verizon for overstepping its authority. Now that the FCC is reconsidering those rules to either make them weaker or possibly reclassify ISPs so that the agency can enforce neutrality. But no matter how it moves forward, the agency expects to be sued. [More]
Al Franken: Ted Cruz Has No Idea What Net Neutrality Is
By 11.17.14
Last week, Sen. Ted Cruz from Texas attempted to slam the notion of net neutrality, dubbing it “Obamacare for the Internet” and claiming that it would result in prices and services being set by the government. But over the weekend, Minnesota Sen. Al Franken called Cruz’s claim “baloney,” pointing out the fact that we’ve had net neutrality for years and cable companies have been doing just fine. [More]
Porn Stars Do A Better Job Of Explaining Net Neutrality Than Lobbyists
By 11.14.14
Yesterday, we told you about the laughable efforts of one prominent lobbying group to mislead consumers about net neutrality, claiming that it will hurt all those “high school bloggers” who will inexplicably have to pay for Netflix’s bandwidth use (which they won’t, because this is nonsense). For a more accurate representation on what a non-neutral Internet means for consumers, you’d honestly be better served by listening to a trio of porn stars. [More]
Here Is The Most Misleading Video You’re Likely To See About Net Neutrality
By 11.13.14
While the President’s decision to come out in favor of net neutrality has helped to bring the topic to the forefront, it’s also had the unfortunate consequence of politicizing an issue that has absolutely nothing to do with party lines. This has resulted in a slew of overwrought, exaggerated, and misinformed reactions from certain political leaders and groups, none more so than this ridiculously misleading video. [More]
Comcast: We Agree With President On Net Neutrality, Except We Don’t
By 11.11.14
Comcast, like someone on house arrest who can’t stop talking about how much he loves just staying at home, can’t shut up about its alleged “support” of net neutrality — a support that was forced upon it as a condition of its 2010 acquisition of NBC. Now the nation’s largest Internet service provider is publicly stating that it “agrees” with President Obama’s feelings on neutrality, just not the ones that actually matter. [More]
