ISPs Threaten to Sue the FCC if they Enforce Net Neutrality

In response to US President Barack Obama’s statement supporting net neutrality, and asking the FCC to reclassify internet service as a utility under Title II of the 1934 Communications Act, American ISPs have come out fighting, threatening to take legal action against the FCC if they agree to Obama’s plan.

Verizon, who has previously threatened litigation over net neutrality proposals, released a statement claiming the Title II proposal is “a mistake that will do tremendous harm to the Internet and to U.S. national interests.” AT&T also weighed in, calling net neutrality a “hypothetical problem posed by certain political groups whose objective all along has been to bring about government control of the Internet.,” followed by the threat, “if the FCC puts such rules in place, we would expect to participate in a legal challenge to such action.”

Though many ISPs remained silent, their representative trade group, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, criticised the proposal, stating, “this tectonic shift in national policy, should it be adopted, would create devastating results.” The FCC’s official statement is so far non-committal, saying only, “we will incorporate the President’s submission into the record.”

Source: Consumerist