Court Rules to Maintain ‘Net Neutrality’

"160603_043" by Arbeitskreis Vorratsdaten licensed under CC BY 2.0
160603_043” by Arbeitskreis Vorratsdaten licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: Wall Street Journal

The FCC’s rules and regulations to ensure ‘net-neutrality’ have finally been upheld in court, perhaps finalizing the ongoing decades-long debate over internet providers’ ability to allow users to pay more for faster internet.

The decision will ensure that Internet access remains an open and free platform for growth and innovation, explained FCC chairman, Tom Wheeler, who called the recent decision a major “victory for consumers and innovators” as it protects equality.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit had previously rejected FCC regulations and now upheld them with a 2-1 vote, along with a 115-page majority opinion.

Moving forward, internet-service providers are not allowed to provide faster service to paying customers; speculations remain that internet providers will develop methods around regulations, imposing data caps on users not applicable to sponsors.

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