Comcast takes the FCC to court over net neutraility
In the latest round of net neutrality disputes, Comcast have taken the FCC to court claiming that the FCC doesn’t have the legal authority to impose net neutrality orders on them.
Without net neutrality regulations in place, broadband companies would be free to restrict internet traffic as they wish. This could easily lead to them making people to pay a premium to enjoy the level of unrestricted internet access we enjoy today. Those that don’t pay the premium would be left with a second class internet with applications the companies deem to be using too much bandwidth throttled to poor performance levels.
A hearing today put some doubt on if the FCC do actually have the authority to impose the regulations on Comcast (and all broadband companies alike), but the FCC spokesman still was confident that they would win the hearing. The final judgement is expected later this spring.
In hearing a legal dispute between the agency and Comcast Corp., a three-judge federal appeals court panel questioned the commission’s authority to impose so-called “net neutrality” obligations on the nation’s largest cable TV and Internet operator. Those rules are intended to prevent broadband providers from abusing their control over the market for high-speed Internet access.
A decision that goes against the FCC could undermine its ability to impose such rules on all broadband companies not just Comcast.
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