At its Dec. 14 meeting, the FCC plans to roll back the rules that keep all Internet traffic equal. Here’s what the change could mean for the prices and speeds you pay for today.
1 The FCC Moves to Roll Back Net Neutrality
At its Dec. 14 meeting, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to roll back rules put in place by the previous administration insuring that all Internet traffic is treated equally.
2 What Net Neutrality Protects
As Billshark previously reported, net neutrality maintains what the Internet has always been: a free and open-to-all avenue for communication. Net neutrality prevents Internet Service Providers (ISPs) from creating so-called “fast lanes” that provide better service to content creators or web companies that pay extra fees. It also means that ISPs can’t discriminate based on content; for example, slowing your streaming of “House of Cards” because it’s streamed by a video company that competes with your ISP.
In practice net neutrality means that everything you want to access on the Internet, from streaming video to audio, should be just as available to you as to any user of the Internet. Net neutrality also means the ISPs can’t discriminate against start-ups and entrepreneurs, who can’t afford to pay the premium fees to get faster broadband service. Just because you’re not a wealthy corporation shouldn’t mean your Internet traffic suffers.
Another related area of net neutrality is what is known as “zero rating.” With this practice, the ISP offers its customers discounts on a few selected apps and websites, and excludes the rest of the Internet. Thus, according to IT news site ZDNET, “Your ISP, not you, decides what websites and apps and streaming services you can afford.”
3 A Certain Vote and Higher Prices
Last week, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai announced he would circulate the proposed new rules among the full commission prior to the next month’s vote. Before his appointment by the current administration, Pai was a vocal opponent of net neutrality, which he calls “micromanaging the Internet.” With a 3-2 majority on the FCC backing Pai, the passage of net neutrality rollback is certain.
“This move would likely lead to consumers paying higher prices for the Internet access and speeds they have today,” Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel for Consumers Union, told the Los Angeles Times.
FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who voted in favor of net neutrality in 2015, called again for public hearings before the vote, but none have been scheduled.
4 Millions of Comments — and Fake Ones
However, over the past six months there have been millions of comments submitted to the FCC website. In a curious twist, The Washington Post reported last week that possibly hundreds of thousands of those comments were fake.
According to The Post, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, in a letter last week to the FCC, charged that “hundreds of thousands of” submissions may have impersonated New York residents. His investigation, he said, had turned up submissions from dead people, along with those of living residents who claimed their names had been attached to comments they never sent. In another peculiar development in the story, Rosenworcel reported that some 50,000 consumer complaints appear to have disappeared from the agency’s records, The Post reported.
5 Protests, Lobbying, and What Comes Next
Some activists opposing the new rules hope these revelations could spur Congress to delay the vote, but that’s unlikely given that the current majority in Congress is from the same party that favors the rule change. Since the rules are likely to pass, Evan Greer, campaign director for the advocacy group Fight for the Future, told The Post that the furor over fake comments could benefit supporters of the rule in any legal challenge to the new rules.
“It’s all about Congress for right now,” said Greer. “But [the issue of the fake and vanished comments] will absolutely show up in court if we get there.”
Activist groups plan a nationwide protest at Verizon Communications Inc., retail stores on Dec. 7. Verizon—along with T-Mobile, AT&T, and others—is one of the telecom companies which has been lobbying hard to overturn net neutrality. Pai was formerly an attorney for Verizon.
Stay tuned here as Billshark endeavors to keep you abreast of news that impacts you. Meanwhile, let our bill sharks help you swim circles around your service provider to get you the best deal possible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the FCC planning to do at its Dec. 14 meeting?
At its Dec. 14 meeting, the Federal Communications Commission plans to roll back the net neutrality rules put in place by the previous administration, which insured that all Internet traffic is treated equally. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai circulated the proposed new rules among the full commission before the vote, and with a 3-2 majority backing him, passage of the rollback is considered certain.
What does net neutrality protect for everyday Internet users?
Net neutrality keeps the Internet a free and open avenue for communication. It prevents Internet Service Providers from creating so-called fast lanes for companies that pay extra fees, and it stops ISPs from discriminating based on content or against start-ups that cannot afford premium rates. In practice, everything you access online should be just as available to you as to any other user.
How could the rollback affect the prices and speeds I pay for?
Jonathan Schwantes, senior policy counsel for Consumers Union, told the Los Angeles Times that the move would likely lead to consumers paying higher prices for the Internet access and speeds they have today. Practices such as fast lanes and zero rating could also let your ISP, rather than you, decide which websites, apps, and streaming services you can afford to use.
Why were millions of FCC comments called into question?
Over six months, millions of comments were submitted to the FCC website, but The Washington Post reported that possibly hundreds of thousands were fake. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman charged that submissions may have impersonated New York residents, including dead people and living residents who never sent them. Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel also reported that some 50,000 consumer complaints appear to have disappeared from the agency’s records.
Which companies are lobbying against net neutrality, and what can I do?
Verizon, along with T-Mobile, AT&T, and others, is among the telecom companies lobbying hard to overturn net neutrality; Pai was formerly an attorney for Verizon. Activist groups planned a nationwide protest at Verizon retail stores on Dec. 7. Meanwhile, Billshark can help you swim circles around your service provider to get you the best deal possible on your bills.
