ISPs say anti-discrimination rule should cover only deployment, not prices.
Internet service providers and their lobby groups are fighting a US plan to prohibit discrimination in access to broadband services. In particular, ISPs want the Federal Communications Commission to drop the plan's proposal to require that prices charged to consumers be non-discriminatory.
In 2021, Congress required the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules "preventing digital discrimination of access based on income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion, or national origin" within two years. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel last month released her draft plan to comply with the congressional mandate and scheduled a November 15 commission vote on adopting final rules.
The telcos execs comment made me laugh. It's all corpospeak, like they invented a new language to be real sure that the labour class can't understand shit. They're the new latin priests. Fuck them. Nationalise telecommunications.
"But but, we want to continue misleading customers with our 'up to' plans and offer them the bare minimums. and make them spend more money because we charge equipment rental fees on top of their bills. please think of our wallets. The government hasn't given us enough despite them happily giving us billions to expand broadband that we promise to get around to, but we spend millions on marketing on this promise we somehow won't fulfill. Think of us, please" - ISPs
In 2021, Congress required the Federal Communications Commission to issue rules "preventing digital discrimination of access based on income level, race, ethnicity, color, religion, or national origin" within two years.
FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel last month released her draft plan to comply with the congressional mandate and scheduled a November 15 commission vote on adopting final rules.
Carr described Rosenworcel's proposal as "President Biden's plan to give the administrative state effective control of all Internet services and infrastructure in the US."
In a meeting with Rosenworcel's staff, cable company executives "stated that the Draft Order would impose overbroad liability standards that impede further broadband investment and are legally vulnerable by adopting a disparate impact rather than a disparate treatment liability approach," according to an ex parte filing submitted yesterday by cable lobby group NCTA-The Internet & Television Association.
The cable companies said the FCC "should define digital discrimination as disparate treatment and should limit the standard to policies and practices involving the deployment of broadband network facilities.
"Commission evaluation of price is unnecessary in the competitive wireless marketplace and may deter offering discounts and enticements to switch providers that consumers enjoy today."
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