FCC Confirms Delay of New Net Neutrality Rules Until 2015

blottsie writes: The Federal Communications Commission will abandon its earlier promise to make a decision on new net neutrality rules this year. Instead, FCC Press Secretary Kim Hart said, "there will not be a vote on open internet rules on the December meeting agenda. That would mean rules would now be finalized in 2015." The FCC's confirmation of the delay came just as President Barack Obama launched a campaign to persuade the agency to reclassify broadband Internet service as a public utility. Opensource.com is also running an interview with a legal advisor at the FCC. He says, "There will be a burden on providers. The question is, 'Is that burden justified?' And I think our answer is 'Yes.'"

Comments

Delay means no action...EVER

[KaLeVR1]

This has been a hot issue for a couple years now and there is no doubt the FCC has been studying this for some time. Obama has allowed the agency to be filled with Telecom industry cronies and lobbyists who stand to get sizable golden parachutes from the likes of Comcast and Time Warner if they hold the line. Obama's only card to play if they stonewall is to fire Director Wheeler and replace him with a pro-neutrality director, who will staff the agency with members who will vote the way he wants. If they can delay until the new Congressional session begins in January, then Republicans can block any pro-neutrality nominee. So firing Wheeler after the new session begins is very risky and will likely fail.

The only way Obama can affect the change he wants is to move on the director now. As long as this issue has been discussed, why should we wait another year for the FCC to rule on this? They clearly already know what they want to do. They are just stalling. I hope Obama can see that.