FCC's McDowell, Baker to Give Partial Support on Net Neutrality Notice

Apparently, the two Republican Commissioners on the Federal Communications Commission will support, at least in part, a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Network Neutrality at a vote on Oct 22. Commissioners Robert McDowell and Meredith Attwell Baker will vote to concur on a full and transparent process with plenty of opportunity for comment; however, they will dissent from the factual and legal basis the document uses to justify proposing the rules. That is different from supporting the underlying argument for codifying network neutrality rules -- both remain unconvinced -- but at least it would be a unanimous vote to move the debate to the next level. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski already has the support of the other two Democrats on the Commission.