President Obama has made a strong statement of support for net neutrality, and called on the FCC to enact rules to “make it so” by classifying broadband under Title II, which is thought by many experts to be legally the strongest step to take to promote net neutrality.
So the time has come for the FCC to recognize that broadband service is of the same importance and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do. To do that, I believe the FCC should reclassify consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act — while at the same time forbearing from rate regulation and other provisions less relevant to broadband services.
Such a statement might be seen by net neutrality advocates as long overdue, and oddly takes place one week after the election, but has been welcomed nonetheless by interests such as PSA that will depend on net neutrality for best results in the future.
It also should be noted, that this process is nowhere near being “decided” and that eventually it will be fully adjudicated in the federal courts at the highest levels.