USTelecom files suit against government's new Internet rules

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By TALI ARBEL

NEW YORK (AP) — A legal fight against the Federal Communications Commission's new Internet traffic rules has begun.

The rules were voted on in February and uphold the principle of net neutrality — that online content be allowed to load at the same speed. They forbid paid fast lanes favoring some content and say broadband providers can't slow Web traffic or block content.

The rules were published Monday in the government's Federal Register and would go into effect on June 12 if a court doesn't block them. Litigation could drag on for years.

The United States Telecom Association, an industry group that represents companies including AT&T and Verizon, said Monday that it has filed suit to block the rules in the U.S. Court of Appeals for District of Columbia. The suit asks for a review of the FCC's rules on the grounds that they violate federal law and are arbitrary. The suit also says the FCC didn't follow the proper procedure for creating the rules.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150413/us--net_neutrality-lawsuits_coming-1c994dc049.html

[jwirr]

1. So this going to get to the SCOTUS and we have no real controls over them. They are lifers. How

exactly are we going to fight this?

[upaloopa]

3. Vote for the Dem candidate and let them

appoint new liberal judges.

[jwirr]

4. On that I agree but if that does not work is there any other way?

[GoneFishin]

2. I hope the government actually fights this vigorously rather than feigning helplessness and letting

AT&T and Verizon walk all over them (us).

I also hope that in the interim, the telecoms will be barred from implementing the practices in question for two reasons :

1) If they are free to execute any shady business model they choose pending an outcome then their motivation will be to tie it up forever, and

2) when the practices are finally banned they will argue that they have already financial committed to them and will be irreparably harmed if they are forced to stop.

[Plucketeer]

5. Yeah - the "government"

which in this case has proved to be US in this case - was the one that caused these rules to be ordained. And so it's these corporate steam rollers that wanna FLATTEN said "government" by telling us they don't respect our voice and our desires.

It would be nice to think that WE (the people) could effect an effective boycott of ATT and Verizon (of which I'm a customer!), but folks are just too dazzled by the technologies of their "smart" phones to be bothered with trying to throw a stick in the spokes of monopoly.

[GoneFishin]

10. Yep. Sadly, I seriously suspect that somewhere someone is cutting back on groceries

to pay for their smart phone.

[Trillo]

6. It is such a travesty that citizens cannot afford equivalent Judicial Branch

oversight.

[d_legendary1]

7. Wonder if Roberts called the Telcom Ass. up and told them to fight the rules

Just like he did with Citizens United.

[cstanleytech]

8. I am betting the telecoms will win.

Not because they should but because they will buy their way out of it like usual all they have to do is find the right hand to grease be it a judge or an elected official.

[fasttense]

11. And that's how capitalism is suppose to work

Everything is a commodity, up for sale to the highest bidder. Those with the most capital rule because they can buy everything up, including 9 justices who think they are "fair". They can buy congress and the presidency. To change this. To actually have true democracy, you have to have a democratic economic system and capitalism ain't it.

[lark]

9. Sad but no surprise at all.

Sickening and sadly expected are what's true of this action. The 1% can't stand anyone stand in the way of them making a penny of profit. How dare we? They are the almighty and we should lick their toes in thankfullness of them letting us on the internet at all, even if the connection is so slow it barely works. After all, with a larger payment plan, the internet will move much faster. What could be wrong with that? After all, the poor have no rights these days. Come on, get with it and get out of the way of their "rightful" profits!

[asiliveandbreathe]

12. Once people realize they are a number to AT&T and Verizon

(no pun intended) then people will migrate to another Telco - what better way - hit 'em in the pocket....

US Court of Appeals in DC - a request to block the FCC rules...by AT&T and Verizon...because?????The AT&T and Verizon customers are gungho to pay more???? For fast lanes on internet???? - like a toll road???? - I don't think so...you have a choice...