After Netflix Throttling, American Cable Association Calls for FCC Investigation Into Edge Practices

The American Cable Association, which represents small and midsized Internet service providers, came out strongly against Netflix's capping of bit rates for some wireless services, calling for the Federal Communications Commission to launch an inquiry into edge provider practices and saying it has Sec 706 authority to do so. "ACA has said all along that this Federal Communications Commission’s approach to Net Neutrality is horribly one-sided and unfair because it leaves consumers unprotected from the actions of edge providers that block and throttle lawful traffic," said ACA President Matt Polka. "The FCC’s disclosure rules also fall short by covering ISPs but allowing edge providers to affect consumers’ Internet experience in the same ways that ISPs’ actions can. And now we see further evidence of these shortcomings in Netflix’s confession that it has been engaging in covert video throttling to select groups of consumers."

"ACA is disappointed, but not surprised, that Netflix used its immunity from the FCC's Net Neutrality rules to engage in this practice," said Polka. "Netflix has the ability and incentive to engage in this anti-consumer behavior notwithstanding its impact on the virtual cycle that promotes the broadband deployment sustaining Netflix’s business mode." Polka was using the language the FCC has used in singling out ISPs as the gatekeepers and potential snakes in the virtuous Internet garden."