Confirmed Fcc Wants To Drop A Net Neutrality Atom Bomb

Yesterday, we talked about how the FCC was reportedly going to attempt to implement strict net neutrality regulations under Title II reclassification. Today, FCC chairman Tom Wheeler confirmed that report, via a column published on Wired. In the column, Wheeler states very directly that he is “proposing that the FCC use its Title II authority to implement and enforce open internet protections.” The key paragraph states: While Wheeler was initially opposed to broadband reclassification, he reversed course after President Obama made his own thoughts on net neutrality clear, and the public weighted in on the FCC’s website very aggressively — to the tune of over four million comments. But Wheeler also referenced open networks of the past, including how it was the FCC who forced AT&T to open its phone line network to all other phone companies in the 1960s. This open network, says Wheeler, is how the early, phone line-based Internet network grew so rapidly — there was no restriction for home and educational modems when they started coming online. The decision made by Wheeler is probably only the beginning. With politicians weighing in, and the likelihood of a lawsuit filed by the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (the cable industry’s lobbying/interest group), this decision is going to be a long process, one way or another. Source: Wired