Public Interest Groups Urge FCC To Act on Net Neutrality Policy

Six public interest groups urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to move ahead with a rulemaking to guarantee an open and non-discriminatory Internet.

In reply comments to the FCC, Public Knowledge, Benton Foundation, Center for Media Justice, Consumers Union, Media Access Project and New America Foundation said that the FCC "should move swiftly ahead" and complete the proceeding based on the information in the public record, rather than waiting for a consensus to emerge. The public interest groups told the Commission, which had asked for comment on the status of "managed" services and wireless services under a Net Neutrality regime: "Certainly it is laudable for the Commission to try to identify points of agreement, and to develop a sufficient record to make meaningful determinations. But at some point, the Commission actually must make a decision as to what rules will best serve the public interest. The Commission has now reached this point. Its own efforts and other efforts to broker a negotiation among stakeholders have failed, and the FCC must now decide whether it will 'resolve the conflict' on wireless and managed services 'in favor of the party with the stronger case.'"