FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 14, 2014
Contact: Scott Cleland 703-217-2407
Court Upholds FCC’s “General Authority to Regulate” Broadband in Verizon v. FCC, But Denies FCC Authority to Impose Common-Carrier-like Regulation of Broadband. This win-win, Could Settle into a de Facto Net Neutrality Peace, if Parties Don’t Appeal
WASHINGTON D.C. – The following quotes addressing the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, Verizon v. FCC decision may be attributed to Scott Cleland, Chairman of NetCompetition:
“This Court delivered an unusual win-win outcome in Verizon v. FCC that enabled each party to win on their respective and different must-win issues: the FCC had its core “general authority to regulate” broadband affirmed and Verizon avoided common carrier regulation of broadband.”
- “Specifically, the Appeals Court handed the FCC a big win in ruling that the FCC the does have the “general authority to regulate,” broadband and “promulgate rules governing broadband providers’ treatment of Internet traffic,” in order to “preserve and facilitate the “virtuous circle” of innovation that has driven the explosive growth of the Internet.”
- “Specifically, the Court also handed Verizon and the broadband industry a big win on its top concern in ruling that the FCC does not have the authority to impose common-carrier-like regulation on broadband providers."
"If the parties do not appeal, and the FCC also works on new broadband information service traffic-rules-of-the-road that comport with this decision, this effectively could settle into a de facto net neutrality peace given that the FCC’s “general authority to regulate” broadband would be unchallenged and the broadband industry’s biggest fear, common carrier regulation of broadband, would be off the table.”
“Finally, this decision also underscores the need to modernize seriously obsolescing 1934 communications law for the 21st Century.”
NETCompetition.org is a pro-competition e-forum representing broadband interests. See www.netcompetition.org.
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