A federal appeals court has sided with Verizon Communications in the company’s net neutrality fight, saying that Internet service providers are not subject to rules that require them to deliver all content at the same speeds. The decision is not final as the FCC could rewrite its rules.
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said that it made the ruling because the FCC had failed to classify Internet service providers as “common carriers.” The net neutrality rules apply to common carriers and are meant to insure that a service provider does not limit or control the content available to its subscribers.
AT&T, which also offers Internet service through U-Verse, recently announced opportunities for sponsored content on its mobile network, but said that content would not be delivered at faster speeds than other content.
Steve Largent, CEO of CTIA – The Wireless Association issued a statement on his organization’s behalf this morning. “While we are still reviewing the text of opinion, today’s court decision does nothing to temper CTIA members’ long-standing commitment to an open Internet and a vibrant wireless ecosystem because that’s what wireless customers demand,” he said. “In fact, the United States leads the world in mobile broadband specifically because investment and innovation have been driven by the needs of customers, not by regulations or court decisions. Policymakers should exercise caution before adding any additional regulation to this area, particularly given the fundamental technical and operational challenges facing mobile broadband providers and the robust competition to attract and retain customers.”
