\tFederal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai will today reveal his plan for revoking US net neutrality rules ahead of a meeting to discuss the plan in mid-May.<\/p>\n
Pai said the regulator is ready to fight to dismantle the rules, which he believes\u00a0have hampered investment and widened the digital divide in the country.<\/p>\n
The FCC will likely face a lively public debate on its target of overturning the 2015 Open Internet Order.<\/p>\n
Pai previously said the FCC wants a \u201clight-touch framework\u201d with vastly reduced regulation on internet service providers (ISPs). The current rules require ISPs to treat all internet traffic equally, and prohibits them from offering a superior quality service for some\u00a0online content at\u00a0the detriment of others.<\/p>\n
In a statement yesterday, Pai said rules introduced under his predecessor failed to encourage investment in broadband networks, resulted in existing upgrade\u00a0plans being shelved, and weakened consumer privacy.<\/p>\n
Pai vowed to\u00a0\u201cfix the problems that the prior FCC created,” with its new policies.<\/p>\n
Since Pai, a vocal opponent of net neutrality laws [1], took office in January the fate of the law was the subject of much speculation. This was intensified when the US government began moves to roll-back scheduled FCC\u00a0internet privacy regulations [2] in March.<\/p>\n
Significant opposition
\nThe FCC is unlikely to be able to repeal the rules without significant opposition.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, the Internet Association expressed its vigorous support for the current regulations [3]. After a meeting with Pai and the FCC, the organisation \u2013 which counts Google, Amazon and Facebook among its backers \u2013 said it would oppose any move to remove net neutrality laws.<\/p>\n
There is also likely to be opposition to Pai\u2019s plan from within the FCC [4] and other lobby groups.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more heavily you regulate something, the less of it you\u2019re likely to get\u201d, Pai said in a statement. \u201cMake no mistake about it: this is a fight that we intend to wage and it is a fight that we are going to win.\u201d<\/p>\n[1] https:\/\/www.mobileworldlive.com\/featured-content\/top-three\/pai-defends-net-neutrality-stance-highlights-successes\/
\n[2] https:\/\/www.mobileworldlive.com\/featured-content\/home-banner\/us-congress-votes-to-scrap-fcc-internet-privacy-rules\/
\n[3] https:\/\/www.mobileworldlive.com\/featured-content\/home-banner\/internet-giants-back-net-neutrality-in-fcc-showdown\/
\n[4] https:\/\/www.mobileworldlive.com\/featured-content\/home-banner\/net-neutrality-supporters-blast-pai-web-plans\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai will today reveal his plan for revoking US …<\/p>\n
The post Pai draws battle-lines for net neutrality fight<\/a> appeared first on Mobile World Live<\/a>.<\/p>\n