In an effort to "lawsuit-proof" his proposed Open Internet rules, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler plans to invoke Title II of the Communications Act and Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 in his next Net Neutrality attempt. The proposal is scheduled to be voted on during the FCC's Feb. 26 open meeting.
The proposal would reclassify "broadband Internet access service" as a telecommunications service under Title II and also would ban blocking, throttling and paid prioritization. The new rules - in their entirety - would also apply to mobile broadband.
Industry reaction to the proposal has been largely negative. Thus far, the TIA, Broadband for America, the NCTA, CALinnovates, and the ACA have all issued statements opposing the proposal in one way or another.
In other FCC news, Wheeler issued a statement in support of a proposal to advance municipal broadband efforts in certain cases by pre-empting state laws against them.
