The Battle for Broadband

[Commentary] The definitive battle for the future of the Internet is underway.

On June 17, the Federal Communications Commission moved to reclaim its authority over broadband Internet service; a federal court had overturned FCC action - using a weaker telecom rule - to prevent abusive practices by broadband providers. The FCC's move is also critical for the implementation of the National Broadband Plan, which Congress last year ordered the FCC to draft to address the growing disparities in broadband access, adoption, and affordability.

This future-of-broadband decision will be made by our government. Those who reduce this historic and complex decision to simple slogans - such as "Keep the government's hands off the Internet" - would perpetuate our dependency on the cable and telephone conglomerates, which used an act of government to gain control of broadband in 2002! Will our government rule this time in favor of Wall Street or Main Street? The answer to this question is in our hands.