Three weeks after voting for repealing net neutrality regulation, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) led by Indian American Ajit Pai released the final version of its plan on Thursday.
The controversial rule will enable high-speed internet service providers to slow down or stop delivery of some websites or charge for providing high-quality streaming.
The plan requires official approval by the White House Office of Budget and Management (OMB) before it goes into effect. After getting OMB approval, the order will be published in the Federal Registrar. The OMB is expected to give its nod to the order soon.
The commission has made some corrections and changes in the 539-page final draft at the request of the commissioners.
Changes have been made to address the concerns raised by FCC’s chief technology officer, Eric Burger, and Republican FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly.
The FCC has made a significant effort to make the rule foolproof and legally defensible.
However, a flurry of legal actions are expected to follow with the Attorney General of New York, Free Press, Public Knowledge, Common Cause, Netflix, among scores of companies, organizations, public interest groups, agencies, elected officials, threatening to file lawsuits which is likely to happen after the order is published in the federal register.
Pai, a Republican lawyer, had announced that rolling back the Obama-era rule would be one of his top priorities. He is of the view that the “heavy-handed government regulation” curbs “development of the Internet.”
He has been arguing that the US has lost billions of worth investments to build better broadband infrastructure and innovation as a result of the regulations.
The internet companies are concerned about the power of telecom companies to control information and entertainment once the rule comes into effect. But, the telecom companies argue that the new rules are necessary since the existing regulation prevents them from offering customers a wider selection of services at higher and lower price points.