Network Neutrality

Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA-18) and 13 members of California’s congressional delegation sent a letter to Attorney General-designate Merrick Garland urging him to withdraw the US federal government’s lawsuit against the State of California over its net neutrality law as one of the first actions after the inauguration. “With the new Administration, we have an opportunity to restore the damage the Trump FCC has done to the free and open internet in the last four years,” said Rep.

A North Idaho internet provider, Your T1 WIFI, confirmed it is blocking Facebook and Twitter from its WIFI service for some customers. The move comes after Twitter and Facebook banned President Donald Trump from their platforms due to incitement of violence and undermining the transition of power to President-elect Joe Biden. Because Twitter and Facebook are private companies, their bans on the Pre

• Net Neutrality: A Democratic Federal Communications Commission will likely first move to reclassify broadband as a service under Title II of the Communications Act. That will allow it to restore rules requiring Internet service providers to treat all internet traffic equally, and take other actions to regulate broadband providers’ business practices amid the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 A new empirical study of net neutrality regulations in 32 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries found that the regulations suppress broadband subscriptions and investment in fiber optics. What’s the bottom line? If the Joe Biden administration is serious about following science, it won’t try to resuscitate net neutrality. And hopefully Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai’s investment in economics at the FCC will lead a Biden FCC to be more evidence-based in its decision-making than the last Obama FCC.

As Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai prepares to step down on Jan. 20, there are more than a few lessons the incoming Biden administration could learn from his tenure at the agency.

Urged on by broadband giants such as Charter Communications, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is pushing to confirm a Republican to the Federal Communications Commission. However, Majority Leader McConnell’s goal seems to extend further: creating a deadlocked Biden FCC 2–2, then blocking confirmation of a third Democrat. What Majority Leader McConnell intends as a gift to his corporate patrons could turn into a nightmare for them.

Jeff McElfresh, CEO of AT&T Communications, described AT&T's broadband policy goals. He said Congress should act to directly fund the Universal Service Fund, changing the funding mechanism since the contribution factor — the percentage of voice revenues that goes toward USF — is on track to exceed 30% for the first time. Other AT&T broadband policy recommendations outlined:

An old battle over who governs the internet will likely reignite as Democrats take control of the Federal Communications Commission following the inauguration of Joe Biden. Reinstating Obama-era net neutrality rules thrown out under the Trump administration will likely be a top priority for the agency, experts say. At stake in this battle is who, if anyone, will police the internet to ensure that broadband companies aren't abusing their power as gatekeepers. Supporters of net neutrality say rules are necessary to ensure broadband companies aren't abusing their power as gatekeepers.

The president-elect is in a position to do for the Web, both worldwide and here at home, what his predecessor has not. There is ample room for regulating the online realm domestically, though doing so may first require cooperating with a divided Congress.

The real challenge facing President-elect Joe Biden is whether the person he picks as chairman can move the FCC beyond the “regulatory capture” that has long determined its policies. A number of key issues will define Biden’s ability to redress the overtly corporatist agenda promoted by Trump’s commission. One question will be whether broadband is a Title I or Title II form of communications.