CUB Submits Comments to FCC in Response to Proposed Net Neutrality Rollback
Posted on July 20, 2017 by Samuel Pastrick
Tags, Telecommunications
On Monday July 17, CUB submitted comments to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in opposition to the ironically titled “Restoring Internet Freedom” Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) currently under review. The NPRM opens the door for the FCC to reverse the 2015 Open Internet Order that codified net neutrality rules.
In our comments, CUB argues that the 2015 rules are so important because they help to ensure an equal playing field for broadband customers during a time when fewer and fewer options exist.
We also point out how even with a recent upsurge in average connectivity speed (the U.S. ranks 10th overall in the world as of April 2017 at just over 18 mbps), and an anticipated 1 billion new Internet users and 10 billion new devices between 2014 and 2020, serious inequities still exist – especially in low-income, rural, and Tribal communities.
CUB took a different approach for these comments in that we requested the backing of supporters. All told, 316 Oregonians “signed on” to our comments, and a big thanks goes out to these folks for their energy and interest in preserving a fair, safe, and affordable Internet.
The Monday deadline was the first of two commenting rounds. The second, on August 16, is for “response comments” only. This is why it was so vital for constituents to support the initial round.
In truth, enforceable net neutrality rules (via the 2015 Open Internet Order) appear imminently endangered. Given the current Commission’s conservative lean and spate of opposition to the rules, even the less controversial parts, CUB and other advocates appreciate the long odds for the 2015 Order to remain intact.
However, if the recent healthcare debacle in Washington is any evidence, CUB knows far better than to assume an outcome before the FCC reaches a final decision later this fall.
After all, appropriate public outcry and judicial debate led to a near-decade of policy dithering before the FCC passed the Open Internet Order two years ago. It was not until the Obama Administration truly pressed former Commission Chief, Tom Wheeler, that meaningful net neutrality rules seemed at all possible.
Ultimately, if the current Commission does eventually do away with the 2015 Order, CUB expects a full-throated legal battle – especially since a D.C. Appeals Court upheld the legality of the Order just last summer.
And as we’ve witnessed over the half-year of the Trump Administration, federal policy can sometimes turn on a dime. So barring serious Congressional action, a new White House (and new FCC) in 2020 could just as easily reverse any net neutrality decisions made in 2017.
Again, CUB extends a resounding thank you to the 316 supporters who signed onto our comments. They made their voices heard and helped our cause in the process. We will continue to update our blog with developments related to net neutrality as they unfold.
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09/05/22 | 0 Comments | CUB Submits Comments to FCC in Response to Proposed Net Neutrality Rollback