Obama Makes it Clear: The Government Wants Title II The President this morning made it very clear: he's supporting the reclassification of ISPs under Title II in order to protect network neutrality. Historically there have been no-limit of ambiguous, mealy-mouthed promises to protect neutrality, though most indications were that the government and the FCC lacked the spine for a serious legal fight over reversing much of the last decade of deregulation.

However a lengthy Obama statement just released couldn't be more clear: the government is going to war with the nation's broadband duopoly over Title II reclassification. "The time has come for the FCC to recognize that broadband service is of the same importance and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do," the President said in a statement and accompanying video. "To do that, I believe the FCC should reclassify consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act — while at the same time forbearing from rate regulation and other provisions less relevant to broadband services," stated Obama. "This is a basic acknowledgment of the services ISPs provide to American homes and businesses, and the straightforward obligations necessary to ensure the network works for everyone — not just one or two companies." Consumer advocates have been pushing for Title II for some time, arguing it offer the most legally sound path forward to protect net neutrality. Groups like the EFF and Public Knowledge had also urged for forbearance -- a process that helps prevent the FCC from over reaching. ISPs have made it more than clear they plan to sue should the government pursue this route, and with a GOP-controlled Senate, the path forward is an absolute minefield. Obama notes that the FCC is an independent agency, but states that the four million comments the government received on neutrality (a majority pushing for meaningful Title II protections) makes the agency's path forward clear. Of all the things for the President to challenge the newly-empowered GOP on, it didn't seem like network neutrality would be one of them, given net neutrality and broadband's traditional role as mere political lip service fodder. Of course the battle is really only now just beginning; all of the nation's biggest ISPs have just opened up their wallets and put their entire legal staffs on high alert. If nothing else, this is going to prove to be entertaining to watch.







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Most recommended from 263 comments



karlmarx

join:2006-09-18

Moscow, ID 33 recommendations karlmarx Member It's logical Go back 100 years ago. Was CLEAN WATER a requirement? No. Yet the government stepped in and ensured everyone had clean water/sewage. Was electricity a 'requirement'? No. Again, the government stepped in to ensure everyone had access to electricity. Was a 'phone line' a requirement? No. Once again, the government stepped in and made sure it was available to all. Were roads a requirement? Again, NO. But the government stepped in and ensured we all had access to roads.

ALL these things which we take for granted today WERE considered a luxury not too far in the past. The internet is no different. The simple fact is that a minimum of 25mb/sec is a VERY reasonable requirement for everyone in america. The problem we've run into is that it's not PROFITABLE to provide that to 75% of the country. Again, in the past it wasn't profitable to provide water/electricity/phones/roads to 75% of the country. The government exists to provide services to it's citizens. We broke up the oil/railroad/etc monopolies to ensure everyone had access. It's time to do the same things to the ISP's. Every country in the world that has FASTER/BETTER/CHEAPER internet has government support. (don't even get me started on healthcare, which is better/cheaper EVERYWHERE else). It only makes logical sense on a NATIONAL scale to have the government step in to ensure access for all.

camper

just visiting this planet

Premium Member

join:2010-03-21

Bethel, CT 10 recommendations camper Premium Member If the ISPs are re-classified as Title II...

They will have earned it.



The ISPs will have no one to blame but themselves.

Packeteers

Premium Member

join:2005-06-18

Forest Hills, NY ·Verizon FiOS

·Charter

Asus RT-AC3100

(Software) Asuswrt-Merlin

2 recommendations Packeteers Premium Member Legacy Building Time?



poor Tom Wheeler - I guess all the cushy 6 figure ISP shareholder board appointments and 7 figure job offers he was counting on after leaving the FCC may not pan out after all if he has to procede with Obama's agenda with 2 years left and no elections to worry about, Obama is now free to push legislation he wants to be part of his presidential legacy. the problem I see is things have to be worded well enough to keep ISP lawyers at bay, otherwise any initiative could be tied up in courts for years after Obama leaves office.poor Tom Wheeler - I guess all the cushy 6 figure ISP shareholder board appointments and 7 figure job offers he was counting on after leaving the FCC may not pan out after all if he has to procede with Obama's agenda

Zenit

The system is the solution

Premium Member

join:2012-05-07

Purcellville, VA 2 recommendations Zenit Premium Member My Fear My main fear is that the attitude of politicians in this country will destroy the chances of Title II just because x politician supports it.



I am speaking generally. If Obama was Republican and the Senate was full of Democrats the same thing would happen - its bad because he said it.



Child like politics are slowly ruining this country.

Partisanship, as well as the two-party system is a cancer. clone (banned)

join:2000-12-11

Portage, IN 2 recommendations clone (banned) Member This Site It used to be a place for common sense and open exchange of ideas. Now it's just standard R vs. D bickering. I don't believe such smart people still buy into this idea that either the red team or the blue team have our best interests at heart. Both sides are bending us over for the benefit of their own interests and the interests of those people who spent money to purchase them get them elected.



Title II is a joke, and the ISPs are a joke. Neither side is the good guy, and either way we're getting screwed. All we can do is vote with our wallets, partisan bickering just gives the establishment more power. Capitalism doesn't work for you. Collectivism doesn't work for you. You have to work for yourself to actually get anything done.