Self-isolation has stressed networks, and no one knows if the FCC can step in

As the social distancing efforts push everything from school to socializing into video chat, networks have seen huge surges in traffic — and new anxieties over how digital networks will stand up under the strain. So far, both carriers and the Federal Communications Commission insist that the country’s networks are capable of bearing the strain, particularly given the voluntary throttling instituted by many of the most bandwidth-heavy services. But recent deregulatory efforts have left the FCC with ambiguous authority over those networks, making it uncertain whether the commission will be able to intervene if federal action is needed. If usage continues to grow, declassifying broadband as a regulated utility could make it more difficult for the FCC to identify weak points in networks and ensure carriers services live up to what they advertise.

“We would expect that if [the FCC] had Title II authority, they could require a level of data collection around the functioning of the network that would provide lessons learned about how networks are being strained during this emergency,” said Chris Lewis, the president and CEO of Public Knowledge.