FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says he will seek to ban cable companies from throttling broadband and demanding payments to prioritize some content over others.
Wheeler made the commitment in an op-ed for Wired. He says he will seek to use the regulator’s Title II authority to ensure net neutrality and suggests the plans are “the strongest open internet protections ever proposed by the FCC.”
The measure would effectively mean the FCC reclassifying broadband as a utility. President Obama previously suggested that the body should make exactly that move using its Title II powers.
“My proposal assures the rights of internet users to go where they want, when they want, and the rights of innovators to introduce new products without asking anyone’s permission,” Wheeler writes.
Wheeler’s strong statement doesn’t come as too much of a surprise. We were already expecting the FCC to make a decision on net neutrality this month.
The FCC has released a fact sheet detailing the proposals here.
➤ FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler: This Is How We Will Ensure Net Neutrality
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