Broadband Industry Urges Appeals Court To Block California Net Neutrality Rules

Broadband carriers are urging a federal appellate court to prevent California from enforcing its net neutrality law, which was passed after the Federal Communications Commission repealed nationwide broadband regulations. In a filing with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, lobbying groups for the cable and telecom industry argue that broadband is an interstate service, and therefore not subject to regulation by individual states. “This case is about whether California -- and, therefore, each of the 50 states -- can impose its own preferred (and potentially incongruous) rules on an interstate communications service that Congress and the FCC have consistently determined must be subject to a single, uniform set of federal rules,” said the American Cable Association, CTIA--The Wireless Association, NCTA--The Internet & Television Association and USTelecom--The Broadband Association. The organizations are asking the appellate court to reverse US District Court Judge John Mendez's refusal to issue an injunction that would have prevented California from enforcing its open internet law.