The Federal Communications Commission has won a preliminary battle in the effort to apply net neutrality rules in the United States. A federal court in the District of Columbia has refused to delay implementation of the new rules, and so, without a last minute intervention by Congress, net neutrality will go into effect on Friday, June 12th.
The FCC reclassified internet service providers as common carriers under Title II of the Communications Act, and thus changed the guidelines for their operation in the United States. One of those changes is "net neutrality", which will not allow ISP's to set up fast lanes, or block sites on the internet. Tom Wheeler, the head of the FCC, called the court's decision, "a huge victory for Internet consumers and innovators. Starting Friday, there will be a referee on the field to keep the Internet fast, fair and open."
He also stated, "Blocking, throttling, pay-for-priority fast lanes and other efforts to come between consumers and the Internet are now things of the past. The rules also give broadband providers the certainty and economic incentive to build fast and competitive broadband networks.”
This is just the first hurdle for the FCC however. The court case brought by the various service providers and cable associations will continue later this month. And opponents of the FCC reclassification, mostly Republicans who control both houses in Congress, continue their maneuvers to stop the FCC.
You can read more on the story at Ars Technica.
