Verizon: Title II Reclassification Radical, Risky

Verizon was pulling out all the rhetorical stops as it argued against Title II reclassification of Internet access.

"[A]ny attempt to 'reclassify' broadband Internet access service as a Title II telecommunications service would be a radical and risky change to our nation’s long-standing, bipartisan communications policy," Verizon said in a filing with the Federal Communications Commission. "[Title II proponents’] wish list involves several onerous obligations -- ranging from rate regulation to mandatory unbundling -- that have nothing to do with the openness of the Internet," Verizon said. "And the forbearance for which they advocate is not forbearance at all, or would involve forbearance from only those provisions of little practical consequence. Their end game is not rules to ensure an Open Internet, but regulation for regulation’s sake."