FCC Approves Net Neutrality rules, reclassifies broadband as a utility (+ other NN updates/FCC rulings from the hearing)

[Victorious Secret]

 

Well, thats it folks. It happened. ISPs are now utilities under Title II, the FCC passed it by 3-2. Net neutrality is a thing. 

 

Don't expect it to just be over, however. Many groups have strongly suggested that they will have lawsuits against the FCC over this ruling, what does it matter now that the FCC has a proper ruling in place AND most likely will have congressional backing from the democrats on this. 

 

 

 

The new rules largely resemble the open internet rules that Obama laid out three months ago. They forbid paid prioritization—the practice that enables cable companies to create internet "fast lanes"—as well as throttling. The new rules do not allow internet service providers to block websites and give the FCC authority to intervene when big cable companies don't act in the public interest. 
 
In a nutshell, this plan lets the FCC regulate the internet as a public utility, much like telephones. The plan does not give the government the power to set the price of internet service.
 
Don't expect the net neutrality drama to end here, though. Verizon has already made vague threats about suing the agency if it went through the public utility route, and Wheeler expects other lawsuits as well. Verizon's last legal action against the FCC led an appeals court to strike down its earlier (but far weaker) open internet rules on jurisdictional grounds.
 
That's what ultimately pushed the agency to reclassify broadband -- now that it's viewed as a utility like telephone service, the FCC is free to make stronger regulatory decisions. The agency is aiming to alleviate fears of overregulation through forbearance, a process that lets it legally ignore certain regulations that other public utilities have to deal. That includes things like limiting rates and unbundling, which lets companies take advantage of equipment and services from competitors.

 

 

 

So the big vote is happening today and since its a pretty important topic I figured I would make one thread to keep all the news of today in order. I think its important and I think people should care about what goes on. 

That being said, here is the first piece of news I've come across for the day, involving Google (and others) pushing the FCC to update their language on NN to prevent ISPs from having a loophole to abuse. 

 

The loophole in question would have allowed ISPs to charge websites for sending content to their consumers. We can argue that this is a good thing AND we can argue that Google (and others) are flexing their lobbying power after seeing how the game is played; we can debate if thats a good or bad thing later but for now its a good thing in this scenario. 

 

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has made some last-minute revisions to his net neutrality plan after Google and public interest groups pressed for the changes, according to sources at the commission.
 
Google, Free Press and New America's Open Technology Institute last week asked the commission to revise language they said could unintentionally allow Internet service providers to charge for sending content to consumers. Such a scenario could open the door to an avalanche of new fees for Web companies and threaten their business models. 
 
Google executives on Feb. 19 called aides to Wheeler and staffers for the FCC's two other Democratic commissioners - Mignon Clyburn and Jessica Rosenworcel - to make their case, according to a company disclosure. Cleburne has been the most vocal proponent of the revisions inside the commission, the sources said. 

 

 

Update #2

Ajit Pai is going all out against NN and is making some frankly embarrassing statements for someone who should be better educated in the issue at hand. 5 guesses as to which ISP is funding his next political campaign. 

 

He claims that NN will hurt companies, which is ironic since stocks shot up when Wheeler announced his plans. Oh boy, someone is grasping at straws and edging closer to the "Think of the children" defence. 

 

This tweet really says it all about what the opposition to NN is like. 

 

 

Update #3

FCC overturns state laws that protect ISPs from local competition

 

Municipal broadband networks could expand because of FCC's controversial vote.

 

 

The FCC is on a roll today, effectively telling ISPs to tuck tail and run with a new ruling to allow municipalities to run their own show and not worry about ISPs blocking their moves. Something that supersedes state laws (as it should, since some states have no goddamn idea how to actually run the show)

 

The Federal Communications Commission today voted to preempt state laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that prevent municipal broadband providers from expanding outside their territories.
 
The action is a year in the making. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler announced in February 2014 his intention to override state laws designed to protect private cable companies and telcos from public sector competition. Wheeler took his cue from the federal appeals court rulingthat overturned net neutrality rules; tucked away in that decision was one judge's opinion that the FCC has the authority to preempt "state laws that prohibit municipalities from creating their own broadband infrastructure to compete against private companies."
 
Nineteen states have such laws, often passed at the behest of private Internet service providers that didn't want to face competition. Communities in two of the states asked the FCC to take action. The City of Wilson, North Carolina and the Electric Power Board (EPB) of Chattanooga, Tennessee filed the petitions that led to today's FCC action. Each offers broadband service to residents and received requests for service from people in nearby towns, but they alleged that state laws made it difficult or impossible for them to expand.

 

Update #4

 

 

Okay, these next parts are from the Verge stream so thats the source, its mainly of Wheelers comments as he is dropping bombs and being fairly serious about this all (I guess he got tired of the speeches delivered by Pai) 

 

"Let me start the process towards that vote by thanking the nearly 4 million people who participated in this proceeding. You told us you were concerned about the future of the internet, and your participation has made this the most open proceeding in FCC history."
 
"No one, whether government or corporate, should control access to the open internet."
 
"This is no more a plan to regulate the internet than the first amendment is a plan to regulate free speech."
 
"Some people call this a secret plan to regulate the internet. Nonsense!" Wheeler getting heated.
 
"The internet is simply too important to allow broadband providers to be the ones making the rules."

 

 

THE AYES HAVE IT.

NN PASSED!

 

The vote passed 3-2, net neutrality as Wheeler wanted it (or as close to) has been passed by the FCC. 

 

 

 

Overall, this went how many people hoped it would go. Wheeler essentially did this the entire time:
 

 

 

add this to the update 
http://imgur.com/dZqiFrX

President Obama thanks redditors for their help on net neutrality with a handwritten note.

 

 

For those wondering what Wheeler is actually like, there is a nice background of the man and what he actually did before he became a FCC commissioner:
 

There are a lot of misconceptions about Tom Wheeler. Check the spoiler for accurate background info on him. I've posted this on threads before. One of the biggest points being that when he did lobbying for the cable industry it was before a public Internet even existed.

 

Here are some facts.

(1) His stint as a cable lobbyist was 30 years ago. Note that this was at a time when there was no public internet. The cable industry was solely about television, and they were the consumer friendly underdogs trying to fight the power of the big broadcast networks.

(2) He wasn't actually a cable lobbyist. He was President of the main cable trade association. Yes, they did do some lobbying, but they also did things like develop technical standards. Just saying he was a cable lobbyist is kind of like just calling the President of the AMA a "medical lobbyist" or the President of the ABA a "lawyer lobbyist".

(3) Similar for his stint as a wireless lobbyist. It was actually a stint as President of the main wireless industry group, which although they do lobby, they also have a major role in setting standards. That ended 10 years ago.

(4) He's also founded or headed several companies in the telecom field. Some on the service provider side, some on the content provider side. Everyone focuses on the ones that were involved on the provider side, and assume that means he's somehow biased toward ISPs. Yet he's also been on the content provider side, having to deal with ISPs, so you can make an equally good argument he's biased toward companies like Netflix.

(5) He's also been involved in many ventures that have nothing to do with telecom. He's the founder and President of an aerospace component repair firm. He's been involved at the executive level or director level with several investment banks.

(6) He's also spend a lot of time on things not connected to business. He was on the board of PBS. He's on the board of trustees of the Kennedy Center. He's written couple of history books about the civil war, one about technology and the impact of the telegraph on the war, and one about management lessons of Abraham Lincoln.

(7) There is no reason whatsoever to believe that he has any desire to go back to the telecom industry. It's not like he left on bad terms and so needed to go to the FCC and impress them to open doors. In fact, he left on excellent terms--he's in both the cable and wireless hall of fames. He could have gotten a cushy, high paying, low work job with any top telecom company at any time just by asking. Instead, he's spent his time on those other things (banking, aerospace, non-profits).

(8) Nearly everything he's done as FCC chairman has annoyed the cable and the wireless industries. Yes, some net neutrality advocates did not like his first proposed rule to restore net neutrality, but the cable and wireless industries liked it even less. The man is not an idiot--if he were trying to use the FCC position as some kind of launchpad for reentry to the telecom industry, I think he'd be smart enough to propose things they like instead of things they hate.

 

http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/01/on-net-neutrality-internet-providers-are-betrayed-by-one-of-their-own/?comments=1&post=28254929

 

 

 

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/fcc-chairman-tom-wheeler-net-neutrality-plan-google-115502.html

http://arstechnica.com/business/2015/02/fcc-overturns-state-laws-that-protect-isps-from-local-competition/

http://live.theverge.com/fcc-title-ii-net-neutrality-live-blog/

http://www.engadget.com/2015/02/26/fcc-net-neutrality/

http://gizmodo.com/fcc-passes-strongest-net-neutrality-rules-in-americas-h-1688204371

[AlexGoesHigh]

live blog http://live.theverge.com/fcc-title-ii-net-neutrality-live-blog/the livestream is shite though so don't bother, also i'm laughing my ass off every time the republican talk because is pure trashtalk nonsense

[Victorious Secret]

live blog http://live.theverge.com/fcc-title-ii-net-neutrality-live-blog/the livestream is shite though so don't bother, also i'm laughing my ass off every time the republican talk because is pure trashtalk nonsense

 

Yea, I'm hesitant to include the cesspool of Verge simply because of the Republican comments. I want to spare this site from that much stupidity. 

 

Pai calling it the "Obamacare of the internet" is so damn pathetic and fear mongering. 

[jayctech]

Yay Google.

[SurvivorNVL]

If this passes today--I'm going to cry.  I do extremely hope that by 2018 we'll have the American infrastructure up to snuff.  Likely not going to happen, but--still can dream that we'll have a new infrastructure by then *_*

[Victorious Secret]

If anyone is following this, Pai's statements are truly cringeworthy and pathetic. He's being MOCKED by the Lord Wheeler himself, no one really likes his "this is the end of days" ranting on net neutrality. 

 

I've never seen any one person just get this much consistent flak from all sides. Its incredible. 

[RH00D]

Good god almighty, listening to Pai and O'Rielly makes want to bash my fucking head in. Pure fucking drivel.

 

I wish Wheeler could just override them completely.

[Victorious Secret]

https://twitter.com/zpower/status/570998899122565120

 

Now that I know the FCC has such low standards for intelligence, Im going to run for a position. 

Good god almighty, listening to Pai and O'Rielly makes want to bash my fucking head in. Pure fucking drivel.

 

I wish Wheeler could just override them completely.

 

[nj4ck]

O'Rielly's bullshit just made me throw up in my mouth a little.

[AlexGoesHigh]

 

https://twitter.com/zpower/status/570998899122565120

 

Impromptu drinking game:

"Light touch" 1 drink

"Fauxbearance" 2 drinks

"Obamanet" everything you have

 

[SurvivorNVL]

I'm listening to the Verge stream.  Somehow I can hear.. the slithering of snakes, oil seeping through skin, and dollars escaping from pockets.  Hmmm..  Regardless!  Can't wait for this to end, and Title II will be in effect.

[nj4ck]

Its so weird to listen to Tom Wheeler and actually agree with him.

[AlexGoesHigh]

damn wheller is going HAM on this

[RH00D]

I like how intense Wheeler was talking when he said "No one, whether government or corporate, should control access to the open internet." and "This is no more a plan to regulate the internet than the First Amendment is a plan to regulate free speech." Go Tom!

[Victorious Secret]

Update #4

 

 

Okay, these next parts are from the Verge stream so thats the source, its mainly of Wheelers comments as he is dropping bombs and being fairly serious about this all (I guess he got tired of the speeches delivered by Pai) 

 

"Let me start the process towards that vote by thanking the nearly 4 million people who participated in this proceeding. You told us you were concerned about the future of the internet, and your participation has made this the most open proceeding in FCC history."

 

"No one, whether government or corporate, should control access to the open internet."

 

"This is no more a plan to regulate the internet than the first amendment is a plan to regulate free speech."

 

"Some people call this a secret plan to regulate the internet. Nonsense!" Wheeler getting heated.

 

"The internet is simply too important to allow broadband providers to be the ones making the rules."

[SurvivorNVL]

I like how intense Wheeler was talking when he said "No one, whether government or corporate, should control access to the open internet." and "This is no more a plan to regulate the internet than the First Amendment is a plan to regulate free speech." Go Tom!

WHEELER DROPPIN' MAD BOMBS!  Man, I never thought I'd be cheering for him.

[nj4ck]

WHEELER DROPPIN' MAD BOMBS!  Man, I never thought I'd be cheering for him.

IKR? 

[nj4ck]

THE AYES HAVE IT!

[SurvivorNVL]

TITLE II IS NOW IN EFFECT.  Incoming Lawsuits from Centurylink, Comcast, Time-warner, Cox, AT&T, Verizon, Charter, *goes on for six hours*.  BUT YEEEEEEEEES.

[RH00D]

WOOHOO!

[WelshDdraig]

Did Tom Wheeler do it? Currently watching the live-stream, I do't fully understand, was Net Neutrality just confirmed?

[Michael McAllister]

O'Rielly's bullshit just made me throw up in my mouth a little.

 

I can envision Papa Bear saying this:

 

[RH00D]

Did Tom Wheeler do it? Currently watching the live-stream, I do't fully understand, was Net Neutrality just confirmed?

 

Yes. It won by a 3-2 vote.

[ionbasa]

Sweet, it passed! Just finished watch the live stream.

[WelshDdraig]

Yes. It won by a 3-2 vote.

Doesn't really affect me since I'm not American, but considering the UK basically follows what America does, hopefully they will follow this order. And to Tom Wheeler,