ISPs Whine About State Net Neutrality Rules They Helped Create In the wake of the FCC's blatant handout to industry, more than half the states in the nation are now considering rules to protect net neutrality. Some of these efforts have taken the form of new legislation (like the laws just passed in Oregon and Washington). Others have taken the form of executive orders (like in Montana and New York), most of which ban states from doing business with any ISP that routinely engages in anti-competitive net neutrality violations.

All of these proposals carve out notable exemptions for reasonable network management or priority services like medical care. Large ISPs like AT&T, who spent the last decade lobbying to kill popular and modest (by international standards) net neutrality rules, continue to play dumb to the fact that they created this discordant new regulatory landscape. US Telecom, a lobbying organization effectively run by AT&T, spent this week whining to the Washington Post about having to deal with fifty-different state guidelines for net neutrality. It's worth noting that the majority of these efforts are based on the same template: the discarded FCC rules. It's also worth repeating that at no point is US Telecom or AT&T capable of acknowledging they created this problem. "As we have cautioned repeatedly, we simply cannot have 50 different regulations governing [broadband]," said USTelecom. "It’s time for Congress to step up and enact legislation to make permanent and sustainable rules governing net neutrality." These companies already have to navigate a myriad of regulations that often vary town by town. Most of these FCC rules also basically just mirror the discarded FCC rules. As such, the idea that adhering to "50 different regulations" will somehow be onerous is arguably disingenuous. As is the pretense that this wasn't a direct result of ISP lobbyist actions. Large ISPs like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T have also been pushing hard for a fake net neutrality law the industry knows its lobbyists and lawyers will write. Their goal isn't tough net neutrality rules, but loophole-filled legislation that both pre-empts state efforts to protect net neutrality, and prevents a future FCC or Congress from passing tough, real rules. It's a bit of a ruse you'll see ISPs pushing harder as they grow increasingly nervous about their chances in court. And, given the litany of shady behavior during the FCC's repeal, they should be worried. Again, while ISPs are now complaining about 50 states looking to protect net neutrality, perhaps that something they should have thought about before mindlessly spending millions of dollars to dismantle popular and pretty reasonable federal rules. »twitter.com/USTelecom/st ··· 79095299









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Most recommended from 32 comments

sims

join:2013-04-06 26 recommendations sims Member It's the privacy rules all over again. They complained that it should be up to the states and then threw a fit when the states started passing their own laws.

Now it's happening again. They just did this. What did they think would happen?

TIGERON

join:2008-03-11

Boston, MA 25 recommendations TIGERON Member Too bad Randall, McAsshole and Roberts... AT&T, Verizon and Comcast created this and have managed to piss off a large swath of the country.



DEAL WITH IT.

Simba7

I Void Warranties

join:2003-03-24

Fromberg, MT 16 recommendations Simba7 Member Boo Hoo Cry me a freaking river. Did you really think the states would just roll over while you pissed on them? Kearnstd

Space Elf

Premium Member

join:2002-01-22

Mullica Hill, NJ 15 recommendations Kearnstd Premium Member Reap what you sow Well big telecom you killed the federal regulations that caused you absolutely zero harm and now states are using their constitutional right to make laws in absence of federal ones. Tchaika

join:2017-03-20

New Orleans, LA 14 recommendations Tchaika Member Congress Can't Save You AT&T....... ...... they don't have the ability to dictate to New York State what language it can include in contracts directly with the State. They may be able to override legislation mandating NN, but if the States simply decline to do business with any ISP that doesn't follow NN there isn't a damn thing Congress can do about it.



So, unless you want to lose hundreds of thousands of wireless lines, along with countless wireline accounts, best get with the program.

maartena

Elmo

Premium Member

join:2002-05-10

Orange, CA 14 recommendations maartena Premium Member Deal with it. This happened with the privacy rules, and it will happen with Net Neutrality. Instead of having one set of rules for both that is easy to adhere to nationwide, now all ISP's have to adhere to whatever rule each state comes up with. And because for a multi-state ISP it is probably more costly to adhere to different rules in each state they service, its easier to adhere to the state that has implemented the "strictest" rules.... and those MIGHT be stricter then what they had before.



I don't feel sorry at all for these "poor" ISP's, they brought this upon themselves. And if they are looking for someone to blame, blame their ignorant lobbyists, and the politicians they lobbied with. (Hint: virtually only Republicans). Alky

join:2001-08-12

Cleveland, OH 11 recommendations Alky Member ISP's, You made your bed.... Sleep in it bitches....