Benton Institute for Broadband & Society - Network Neutrality

Level of Government

Federal

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/07/09/executi…

Executive Order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy

benton — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 19:21:36 +0000

President Biden is taking decisive action to reduce the trend of corporate consolidation, increase competition, and deliver concrete benefits to America’s consumers, workers, farmers, and small businesses. This Executive Order established a whole-of-government effort to promote competition in the American economy. The Order includes 72 initiatives by more than a dozen federal agencies to promptly tackle some of the most pressing competition problems across our economy. Once implemented, these initiatives will result in concrete improvements to people’s lives. The Order tackles four issues that limit competition, raise prices, and reduce choices for internet service.

Lack of competition among broadband providers: More than 200 million U.S. residents live in an area with only one or two reliable high-speed internet providers, leading to prices as much five times higher in these markets than in markets with more options. A related problem is landlords and internet service providers entering exclusivity deals or collusive arrangements that leave tenants with only one option. This impacts low-income and marginalized neighborhoods, because landlord-ISP arrangements can effectively block out broadband infrastructure expansion by new providers. In the Order, the President encourages the FCC to: Prevent ISPs from making deals with landlords that limit tenants’ choices.
Lack of price transparency: Even where consumers have options, comparison shopping is hard. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), actual prices paid for broadband services can be 40% higher than advertised. During the Obama-Biden Administration, the FCC began developing a “Broadband Nutrition Label”—a simple label that provides basic information about the internet service offered so people can compare options. The Trump Administration FCC abandoned those plans. In the Order, the President encourages the FCC to: Revive the “Broadband Nutrition Label” and require providers to report prices and subscription rates to the FCC.
High termination fees: If a consumer does find a better internet service deal, they may be unable to actually switch because of high early termination fees—on average nearly $200—charged by internet providers. In the Order, the President encourages the FCC to: Limit excessive early termination fees.
Companies discriminatorily slowing down internet access: Big providers can use their power to discriminatorily block or slow down online services. The Obama-Biden Administration’s FCC adopted “Net Neutrality” rules that required these companies to treat all internet services equally, but this was undone in 2017. In the Order, the President encourages the FCC to: Restore Net Neutrality rules undone by the prior administration.

Benton Content:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/09/fact-she…

Teaser:

In order to promote the interests of American workers, businesses, and consumers

Source:

White House

Author:

President Joseph Biden

Send date:

Mon, 07/12/2021

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 7/9/2021

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Fri, 07/09/2021

Coverage Type:

Public Notice

Competition/Antitrust

Ownership

https://www.benton.org/blog/bidens-acting-team-broadband

Platforms

Biden's (Acting) Team Broadband

benton — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:05:05 +0000

On January 20, John G. Roberts, Jr., the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, swore in President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. In the (few) hours since, President Biden has been very busy. On Thursday, we learned who will be heading the key agencies with jurisdiction over broadband as President Biden named the acting leaders of the Federal Communications Commission, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the Federal Trade Commission. Here's a look at all three.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

Teaser:

President Biden names acting agency heads for the FCC, FTC, and NTIA

Source:

Author:

https://www.benton.org/blog/support-maryland-net-neutrality-act

Send date:

Fri, 01/22/2021

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 1/21/2021

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Fri, 01/22/2021

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In Support of Maryland Net Neutrality Act

benton — Wed, 26 Feb 2020 18:07:50 +0000

Chairman Davis, Vice Chair Dumais, members of the Committee, my name is Gigi Sohn and I am a Distinguished Fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law and Policy and a Senior Fellow with the Benton Institute for Broadband and Society. I have been a public interest advocate for open, affordable and accessible communications networks for over 30 years. I was Counselor to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler from 2013-2016, and during that time, I helped the FCC adopt the 2015 Open Internet Order, which included the strongest ever network neutrality rules. The FCC voted to adopt the Order 5 years ago today. It was unquestionably the proudest moment of my career. Unfortunately, less than three years later, the Trump FCC repealed the 2015 Open Internet Order, leaving all Americans unprotected from anti-consumer and anticompetitive practices of broadband Internet access service (BIAS) providers. And that is why we are here today. House Bill 957 would reinstate the 2015 Open Internet Order and provide net neutrality protections to anyone who uses the Internet in Maryland. I support the bill and urge this Committee and the House of Delegates to do pass it without delay.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

Teaser:

Testimony before Maryland House of Delegates Economic Matters Committee

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Author:

Gigi Sohn

Send date:

Thu, 02/27/2020

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 2/26/2020

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Wed, 02/26/2020

Coverage Type:

Speech

https://www.benton.org/blog/fcc-wants-hear-more-about-net-neutrality

The FCC Wants to Hear More About Net Neutrality

benton — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 16:36:08 +0000

In early October 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued its ruling in Mozilla Corporation vs Federal Communications Commission, the case that challenged the Federal Communications Commission's repeal of network neutrality rules (the Restoring Internet Freedom Order) and reclassification of broadband internet access service as an "information service" rather than a "telecommunications service." The mixed decision generally upheld the repeal -- but with caveats. The court remanded the net neutrality order back to the FCC on three discrete issues: public safety, pole attachments, and Lifeline. Earlier this month, the court also declined to rehear the case so in a public notice released this week, the FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau seeks to refresh the record regarding the issues remanded to the FCC by the District of Columbia Circuit Court. Here are the questions the FCC is asking.

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

Teaser:

Much of what is at issue in the remand returns us to the fundamental debate about whether broadband is a Title I "information service" or a Title II "telecommunications service."

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Author:

Send date:

Mon, 02/24/2020

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 2/21/2020

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Fri, 02/21/2020

Coverage Type:

Analysis

Emergency Communications

Lifeline/Low-Income Consumers

Universal Service Fund

State of Broadband 2020

benton — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 12:53:04 +0000

In Washington, DC, today, policymakers, public interest advocates and nonprofits, researchers, and the business community are gathering for the 2020 State of the Net Conference. Hosted by the Internet Education Foundation, State of the Net explores important, emerging trends and their impact on internet policy. We took the occasion as an opportunity to ask Benton Institute experts for their take on broadband as we enter the 2020s. Here are their answers.

The State of Broadband is... Uncertain
Hard Work on Broadband Adoption Yet to Be Done
Network Neutrality Is Inevitable
Building Smart Cities With, Not For
The US Needs a Comprehensive Rural Broadband Plan

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/state-broadband-2020

Teaser:

We ask Benton Institute experts for their take on broadband as we enter the 2020s.

Source:

Author:

Send date:

Tue, 01/28/2020

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 1/27/2020

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 01/28/2020

Coverage Type:

Affordability/Cost/Price

Competition/Antitrust

Infrastructure

Universal Broadband

Wireless Telecommunications

Headlines Specific Topic:

Benton Foundation

Why We Still Need Net Neutrality

benton — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 12:43:41 +0000

On December 10, 2019, Senate Democrats once again demanded, via a call for unanimous consent, an immediate vote on the Save the Internet Act, legislation that reverses the repeal of net neutrality protections. The repeal, adopted two years ago, classified broadband internet access service as an information service and, importantly, largely abdicated the FCC's jurisdiction over broadband. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed the Save the Internet Act, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has declined to schedule a vote in the Senate. The debate in the Senate this week was familiar to anyone who's been following this issue. But is this as far as the debate goes?

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/why-we-still-need-net-neutrality

Teaser:

Broadband Internet Access Service Without Net Neutrality

Source:

Author:

Send date:

Fri, 12/13/2019

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 12/12/2019

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Fri, 12/13/2019

Coverage Type:

Analysis

https://www.cadc.uscourts.gov/internet/opinions.nsf/FA43C305E2B9A35485258486004F…

US Court of Appeals Issues Net Neutrality Decision

benton — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 14:38:36 +0000

We uphold the 2018 Order, with two exceptions. First, the Court concludes that the Federal Communications Commission has not shown legal authority to issue its Preemption Directive, which would have barred states from imposing any rule or requirement that the FCC “repealed or decided to refrain from imposing” in the Order or that is “more stringent” than the Order. 2018 Order ¶ 195. The Court accordingly vacates that portion of the Order. Second, we remand the Order to the agency on three discrete issues: (1) The Order failed to examine the implications of its decisions for public safety; (2) the Order does not sufficiently explain what reclassification will mean for regulation of pole attachments; and (3) the agency did not adequately address Petitioners’ concerns about the effects of broadband reclassification on the Lifeline Program. Despite the Commission’s failure to adequately consider the 2018 Order’s impact on public safety, pole-attachment regulation, and the Lifeline Program and despite our vacatur of the Preemption Directive, we decline to vacate the 2018 Order in its entirety...

Coverage of decision:

Federal Court Upholds Most of FCC 'Net Dereg (Multichannel News)
Ajit Pai wins (and loses) in court as net neutrality repeal is mostly upheld (ars technica)
FCC Rollback of Net Neutrality Rules Is Partly Upheld by Appeals Court (Wall Street Journal)
Appeals court upholds FCC’s canceling of net neutrality rules (Washington Post)
U.S. court says FCC cannot bar states from setting net neutrality rules (Reuters)
Appeals court upholds net neutrality repeal but rules FCC can't block state laws (The Hill)
FCC’s Gutting of Obama-Era Net Neutrality Rules Upheld by Court (Bloomberg)
State Net Neutrality Laws Get Green Light in Court Ruling (Bloomberg Law)
Appeals court upholds net neutrality rules but provides path for states to push back (CNN)
Court mostly OKs FCC's net neutrality repeal but lets states craft their own rules (Politico)
Appeals Court Upholds Most of Restoring Internet Freedom Order (telecompetitor)
Courts Mostly Back FCC Assault on Net Neutrality (Vice)
Court Upholds Net Neutrality Repeal, With Some Caveats (New York Times)
Net neutrality court ruling: States can set own rules (C|Net)

Benton Content:

Teaser:

Mixed decision

Source:

United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Send date:

Tue, 10/01/2019

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 10/1/2019

DD Publish Status:

Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 10/01/2019

Coverage Type:

Public Notice

Court case

Emergency Communications

Lifeline/Low-Income Consumers

Universal Service Fund

Moving backwards: consolidation, deregulation & lack of accountability in the US media and broadband industries

benton — Tue, 24 Sep 2019 17:36:21 +0000

The US broadband and media industries are increasingly becoming consolidated, deregulated and freed of accountability, with little attention either from policymakers or the media. While Mexico is moving forward -- having recently developed new institutions and regulations intended to promote competition and accountability in telecommunications and media, the US is moving backwards. Competition in broadband and media in the US is vanishing as a result of decisions, big and small, by the Trump Administration.

[Gigi B. Sohn is a Distinguished Fellow, Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy and Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate]

Benton Content:

Benton Original Content

https://www.benton.org/blog/moving-backwards-consolidation-deregulation-lack-acc…

Teaser:

Consolidation and deregulation with little attention

Source:

Author:

Gigi Sohn

Send date:

Wed, 09/25/2019

Daily Digest:

Daily Digest 9/24/2019

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Not Available

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Publish Date:

Tue, 09/24/2019

Coverage Type:

Speech

Ownership