Tom Wheeler, head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has revised a set of proposed net neutrality rules that aim to address the issue of "paid prioritization" and reclassify the Internet as a "public utility."
The FCC originally intended to have broadband providers charge tech firms an additional cost if they wanted a faster Internet connection. But more than 100 Silicon Valley companies including Amazon, Google, Facebook, Netflix, Microsoft, eBay, Yahoo and Twitter opposed this idea. Each tech giant signed an official letter to the federal agency stating that the plan was a "grave threat to the Internet." Officials declared that it may let telephone service and cable providers discriminate technically and financially.
The plan proposed that Internet providers such as AT&T and Comcast bargain with each other for faster services. The tech firms opposed this so-called "paid prioritization" concept, saying it could affect not only companies, but Internet users as well.
According to sources of the Wall Street Journal, the commission plans to release the revised rules on Monday that will address the issue of "paid prioritization," as well as a proposal to consider Internet as a public utility for it to regulated. But the latter is another idea that broadband providers did not approve, for it might cause problems for innovation and investment.
Furthermore, the commission claimed that the revisions included many recommendations given by the public, including the proposal to make the Internet a public utility. This was recommended by Mozilla, which believes it is the best path to take to protect the open Internet.
"The new draft clearly reflects the public input the commission has received. The draft is explicit that the goal is to find the best approach to ensure the Internet remains open and prevent any practices that threaten it," said the source of WSJ.
AT&T responded to the idea of reclassification, urging the commission to drop it. Officials said a push like this would ruin the whole Internet, due to its strict rules, Ars Technica reported.
Tech lawyers are ready to appeal in U.S. courts, should Wheeler push through with the reclassification. They argued that the idea was inserted to keep broadband providers from making further oppositions on net neutrality rules.
