A group of state legislators is opposing a reclassification of the Internet. The effort challenges the recent decision of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to change the status of broadband Internet from an information service to a telecommunications service.
The FCC has classified the Internet as an information service since 2002, but has since reconsidered its decision when an appellate court earlier this year ruled that the Commission had no legal authority to regulate such a service.
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)—a nonpartisan group of state legislators—says the FCC decision does harm by labeling the Internet with a more highly regulated category.
On Aug. 12, Connecticut State Representative and Public Sector Chair of ALEC’s Telecom & IT Task Force Bill Hamzy sent a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski arguing that broadband Internet should be returned to its previous classification as an information service.
“The Internet has thrived under existing policy that treats broadband as a lightly-regulated ‘information service.’ The Commission can point to no existing or imminent problem with the Internet that requires ending this policy, and existing Commission authority supplies ample means for the Commission to address matters such as universal service and access for persons with disabilities. Unfortunately, the Commission’s proposal to subject broadband information services to a regulatory apparatus cobbled together from outdated provisions for monopoly-era telephone service is a disservice to citizens, consumers, and the Internet,” writes Rep. Hamzy.
In addition to the letter, ALEC sent the FCC its “Broadband Regulation Resolution,” in which the group urges the Commission to focus their “efforts on specific and limited initiatives targeted at ensuring that broadband service is made universally available and affordable to consumers, rejecting overly prescriptive regulations that would harm innovation, investment, and job growth.”
“Marketplace freedom has encouraged the explosive growth of the Internet and e-commerce in recent years. It would be a grave mistake for the FCC to suddenly reverse course and saddle the Internet with a burdensome new regulation,” said Rep. Hamzy in a statement.
The FCC has classified the Internet as an information service since 2002, but has since reconsidered its decision when an appellate court earlier this year ruled that the Commission had no legal authority to regulate such a service.
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC)—a nonpartisan group of state legislators—says the FCC decision does harm by labeling the Internet with a more highly regulated category.
On Aug. 12, Connecticut State Representative and Public Sector Chair of ALEC’s Telecom & IT Task Force Bill Hamzy sent a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski arguing that broadband Internet should be returned to its previous classification as an information service.
“The Internet has thrived under existing policy that treats broadband as a lightly-regulated ‘information service.’ The Commission can point to no existing or imminent problem with the Internet that requires ending this policy, and existing Commission authority supplies ample means for the Commission to address matters such as universal service and access for persons with disabilities. Unfortunately, the Commission’s proposal to subject broadband information services to a regulatory apparatus cobbled together from outdated provisions for monopoly-era telephone service is a disservice to citizens, consumers, and the Internet,” writes Rep. Hamzy.
In addition to the letter, ALEC sent the FCC its “Broadband Regulation Resolution,” in which the group urges the Commission to focus their “efforts on specific and limited initiatives targeted at ensuring that broadband service is made universally available and affordable to consumers, rejecting overly prescriptive regulations that would harm innovation, investment, and job growth.”
“Marketplace freedom has encouraged the explosive growth of the Internet and e-commerce in recent years. It would be a grave mistake for the FCC to suddenly reverse course and saddle the Internet with a burdensome new regulation,” said Rep. Hamzy in a statement.
