President Joe Biden wants net neutrality regulations back on the books.
This includes asking the FCC to require broadband companies to provide transparency on pricing.
Initially, Biden pledged $100 billion over eight years to check that every American has broadband access.
That figure has since beenlowered to $65 billion to match a Republican proposal.
The rules wererepealed in 2017 under a Republican-led FCC.
Net neutrality protections have enjoyed strong public support.
Millions of Americans protested former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s order to dismantle net neutrality.
Net neutrality supporters applauded the executive order and calls for the FCC to restore net neutrality protections.
But they also urged Biden to nominate a fifth FCC commissioner to the agency.
Currently, the agency has two Democrats, including Acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, and two Republicans.
Lobbying groups for the cable and telecom industries were quick to criticize the president’s executive order.
Jonathan Spalter, president and CEO of USTelecom, also argued that broadband prices are dropping.
They argue that the amount consumers pay for internet service has beenrising faster than inflation.
What is net neutrality again?
What did the 2015 net neutrality rules actually do?
This gave the agency the authority to police broadband abuses, such as weak privacy practices or fraudulent billing.
Are there any net neutrality rules in place right now?
Many providers are likely following those practices in other states too simply because it makes it easier to operate.
Net neutrality supporters agree that things have changed since the rules were adopted six years ago.
Proponents of net neutrality say new rules would likely go beyond the restrictions laid out in the 2015 rules.
The FCC could also reinstate Title II authority to ban or put restrictions on broadband and wireless data caps.
The 2015 rules didn’t explicitly address either of these issues.
Why should I care about net neutrality?
What are the arguments for and against net neutrality?
Former FCC Chairman Paiclaimed during his tenure that investment in broadband had increasedas a result of the repeal.
Would new rules be challenged in court again?
What this means in practical terms is another several years of litigation and uncertainty.
What will it take to make net neutrality permanent?
The only way to finally put the issue to rest would be for Congress to act.
There are already Democrats on Capitol Hill pushing for legislative action.
Sen. Ed Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, applauded Biden’s call for restoring net neutrality rules.
“I also plan to soon introduce legislation to do the same by statute.
We cannot and will not stop working until net neutrality is the law of the land.”
