A new bill is pending in the US House of Representatives that would block the FCC’s attempt to reclassify broadband as a common-carrier utility. Moving broadband to a utility is something that net neutrality advocates have wanted for a while. Rep. Bob Latta from Ohio has introduced a bill that would block the reclassification.
He says that reclassifying broadband as a utility would “heap 80 years of regulatory baggage on broadband providers.” He also maintains that the classification would hurt broadband company’s ability to innovate. A similar bill has been introduced in the US Senate.
Latta said, “At a time when the Internet economy is thriving and driving robust productivity and economic growth, it is reckless to suggest, let alone adopt, policies that threaten its success,” he said. “Reclassification would heap 80 years of regulatory baggage on broadband providers, restricting their flexibility to innovate and placing them at the mercy of a government agency.”
“In light of the FCC initiating yet another attempt to regulate the Internet, upending long-standing precedent and imposing monopoly-era telephone rules and obligations on the 21st Century broadband marketplace, Congress must take action to put an end to this misguided regulatory proposal,” he said. “The Internet has remained open and continues to be a powerful engine fueling private enterprise, economic growth and innovation absent government interference and obstruction.”
via ComputerWorld
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