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Republican-Controlled Panel Repeals FCC's Net Neutrality Rules

by Amar Toor on March 10, 2011 at 10:40 AM

net neutrality logoYesterday, the House Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology voted to repeal the FCC's net neutrality rules, just a few weeks after House Republicans passed a resolution to defund the commission's controversial initiative.

The Republican-controlled panel voted to overturn the FCC's regulations by a 15-8 vote, split along party lines. The FCC passed the rules in December, when the commission's three Democrats voted in favor of the measure, edging out opposition from two Republicans. The net neutrality framework is designed to prevent Internet service providers and telecom companies from blocking legal content on their networks, and from discriminating against potential competitors.

Republicans, however, contend that the regulations would stymie investment and network development, since companies would be barred from profiting off of premium service charges, and would be unable to favor traffic from their business partners. Verizon and Metro PCS Communications are also challenging the FCC's ruling in a D.C. federal appeals court.

Tags: business, Democrats, FCC, Net Neutrality, NetNeutrality, politics, repeal, republicans, telecom, top, Verizon, vote, Web

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