Net neutrality challenged by Verizon and AT&T

John Cusack

March 24, 2015

Net neutrality laws aren’t even in effect yet, but service providers such as Verizon and AT&T are already angry about them. The Federal Communications Commission has been sued today by the two companies over net neutrality laws, following the suits filed by USTElecom, Alamo Broadband and others. Service providers are attacking net neutrality laws and the FCC is being bombarded with lawsuits from across the United States.

Net neutrality, explained very briefly, means that service providers are now to be considered common carrier service providers and as such are not entitled to offer certain content or companies faster services for an extra price. AT&T and Verizon, among others, are petitioning to overturn net neutrality because in their opinions, it violates a ton of laws and legislation, including the Constitution. Service providers have been angry at the FCC even before net neutrality laws were voted. According to these companies, the new laws would infringe on their rights as companies and do not think it is fair towards them.

Without net neutrality and a reclassification of internet service providers, these companies who are so adamant to overturn the laws, would not be able to selectively provide for their customers. Selectively providing in this case means that those who pay more are favored and get better internet speeds while those who pay for standard speeds get the boot in the sense that their internet will be slower. You can debate upon whether net neutrality is beneficial or not for the consumers and companies in the comments below. Moreover, net neutrality means that carriers cannot block or discriminate against online content.

The petitioners filing suit say that the net neutrality order violates the Constitution, federal law and the Communications Act of 1934. They are suing the FCC for violation of these laws and their goal would be to erase net neutrality and prevent it from going into effect. Since the new laws haven’t been published in the Federal Register, net neutrality is not in the clear yet until the publication happens and it won’t be challenged in the meantime. After the laws are published, in 60 days they will go into effect.