Washington, D.C. — The Computer & Communications Industry Association has submitted comments urging the Federal Communications Commission not to abandon its net neutrality rules. The FCC made a landmark decision two years ago to use its authority to protect the internet from discriminatory behavior by the biggest incumbent broadband companies.
Just last year, a Federal Appeals Court upheld the FCC’s rules. However, the new majority on the Commission is seeking to roll back these rules, creating an unnecessary windfall for the biggest incumbent broadband companies at the expense of everyone else who relies on internet access.
CCIA, for over forty years, has been an advocate for open networks, competition, and free speech around the world. The following can be attributed to CCIA President & CEO Ed Black:
“Opponents of the existing rules hypocritically proclaim their worry about ‘government regulation of the Internet.’ However, it is the preservation of these legal protections for net neutrality that prevent a few powerful companies from using their gatekeeper status to privately regulate the Internet in discriminatory ways for their parochial benefit. CCIA is deeply concerned that the FCC is planning to take action that harms consumers and businesses to pursue a politically-charged agenda that will create greater business uncertainty and undermine the broader Internet ecosystem.
“The internet has historically thrived under net neutrality concepts, which has enabled it to be a free, open, and unparalleled engine for economic growth and free speech. Now, the FCC wants to eliminate the strong, judicially-approved, open Internet rules. These rules are good for business, innovation, free speech, and our global competitiveness.
“CCIA believes the FCC is wrong in its reasoning for pursuing this course and in its understanding of its own legal authority. The FCC is essentially relying on two dubious studies to reverse the Open Internet Order (OIO), rather than on a Federal appeals court ruling upholding the order just over a year ago. The Commission’s flip-flopping will actually exacerbate legal uncertainty and potentially hurt not only network investment, but also investment in other parts of the Internet ecosystem. CCIA calls upon the FCC to abandon this unnecessary and harmful proceeding.”
