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US: NC sues FCC over broadband ruling

 |  May 18, 2015

The State of North Carolina is suing the FCC to prevent the city of Wilson, NC, from expanding its municipal broadband network.

Wilson and Chattanooga, TN, both have municipal networks. With the backing of cable companies, state legislatures in 19 states have passed laws prohibiting municipal broadband.

North Carolina’s and Tennessee’s laws prohibited the expansion of the municipal broadband networks that had already been established within their jurisdictions – in Wilson and Chattanooga, respectively.

In February, the FCC reversed both of those rules. About a month later, Tennessee sued the FCC to reverse the agency’s order.

North Carolina has just filed its suit to do likewise. The suit simply describes the FCC’s order as unconstitutional, arbitrary and capricious, and states that the FCC lacks the authority to issue the order.

 

Full content: Consumerist

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