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Monday, April 12, 2010

Broadband back (from the dead) to Title II?

After last week's Comcast decision by the DC Circuit, I reported to have heard through the grapevine that the FCC was seriously considering to move broadband back to Title II of the Communications Act.

Now, last weekend Susan Crawford (co-director Obama's FCC transition team) penned an op-ed in the NYT urging the FCC to go all Title II on broadband.
The F.C.C. has the legal authority to change the label [to Title II], as long as it can provide a good reason. And that reason is obvious: Americans buy an Internet access service based on its speed and price — and not on whether an e-mail address is included as part of a bundle. The commission should state its case, relabel high-speed Internet access as a “telecommunications service,” and take back the power to protect American consumers.
This is quite significant. Crawford wouldn't be writing about this if the FCC didn't want to build momentum for a Title II push. My bet: things will start moving soon, maybe even before the August recess.

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