FCC, in Party line vote, moves on broadband regulation

In a 3-2 vote, the FCC is following the Chairman's lead in moving forward on the so-called "third way" of regulation broadband by applying certain Title II Common Carrier regs to broadband service.

This effort to create a 'net neutrality" regulatory scheme for broadband is in response to the recent federal appellate court ruling which supported Comcast in its assertion that FCC attempts to regulate Comcast's broadband control efforts had no legal foundation.

Members of Congress, industry associations and public interest groups have all expressed positions and vowed to act if the FCC sought to assert this kind of authority and jurisdiction over the Internet. The concept of "net neutrality" and how access and usage is decided will be a major telecommunications, business and policy fight.

The sharing information, decisions on speed, pricing and access to certain sites, are bound up in this issue; and for the companies that invest in the infrastructure and networks there are significant issues of economics, return and control as well.

This will be the next major communications policy battle in the coming year.