US: Net Neutrality remains on 2015 agenda for Congress

The issue of net neutrality continues to grow, and experts say the topic will dominate the debates in Congress this upcoming year. 

The debate began after the Federal Communications Commission was sued for its first legislative proposals that would have banned content providers from paying Internet service providers for priority content delivery.

The net neutrality debate is complex and multifaceted, and includes the discussion of whether the Internet is a utility. But Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA.) told reporters that the debate should not “be part of the other,” instead arguing that each topic should be handled separately.

Top cable companies, including Verizon, Comcast and AT&T, have stated that they are firmly against the efforts to brand cable as a utility, with AT&T going so far as to say that they are willing launch a legal fight if those efforts succeed. Comcast and AT&T said they are willing to follow net neutrality guidelines at least until the year 2018.

The FCC has tried to set regulations, but the previous chairman of the FCC received a lawsuit for his efforts and the first draft that current chairman, Tom Wheeler, was dismissed when President Obama endorsed a set of regulations known as Title II which would cause broadband internet to be classified as a utility. 

The state of affairs has become a stalemate, though with the upcoming year and changing positions that may change.

The FCC is expected to present their final draft for new regulations early this coming year

Full Content: POLITICO

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