Industry Says Net Rules Are a Work in Progress

Regulators' new rules for Internet lines are likely the start of a greater effort by the government to more closely oversee such channels, broadband industry lobbyists said.

The Federal Communications Commission's new rules are "an initial foray" by the agency to police Internet lines, but changes may need to be made in the future as the Internet develops said Rick Whitt, Google Inc.'s top policy lawyer, during a panel at the Consumer Electronics Show. Congress and the courts will likely weigh in on the debate soon, industry officials said during the panel discussion. Two congressional aides predicted at the show that the Republican-controlled House will vote to overturn the FCC's net neutrality rules. House Republicans are already planning a series of hearings on the net neutrality issue, said Neil Fried, the top telecommunications counsel for House Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee. On Wednesday, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) filed legislation along with 60 other House Republicans to toss out the FCC's net neutrality rules. It's not clear if the Senate will follow suit. Even if the full Congress agreed to toss the rules, President Obama would also have to sign off and that's unlikely.