A Bloomberg report suggests that telecom regulator FCC will approve net neutrality guidelines that can impact American wireless and broadband players in a big way.
The report says FCC officials are indicating that they will vote to support American President Barack Obama to open up web traffic offering the same treatment to all broadband companies and users in the U.S.
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Net neutrality guidelines, if approved by FCC members next month, will pose challenges for broadband operators such as Comcast and AT&T.
Comcast said in documents filed in recent weeks with the FCC that the US president’s strong intervention appears to be driving policy deliberations on net neutrality. The cable-television company opposes the proposal and is one of the largest high-speed Internet providers.
AT&T is waiting for the final net neutrality guidelines to finalize its Capex and roll outs to expand the broadband infrastructure.
“President’s an acknowledgment gives you strong reason to believe it’s headed that way,” said Gene Kimmelman, president of the Washington-based policy group Public Knowledge, who supports Obama’s utility-style rules.
Web companies including startups and video provider Netflix say Internet rules are needed to make sure web traffic isn’t blocked or slowed on its way to consumers. They’re backed by congressional Democrats.
Comcast, the largest U.S. cable provider, which has proposed buying No. 2 Time Warner Cable, said that it opposes Obama’s plan to subject Internet service to a part of the communications law known as Title II, written last century to regulate phone service over copper wires.
FCC under the Chairman Tom Wheeler, a Democrat, will vote on February 26 on net neutrality rules for American wireless and broadband operators. Bloomberg report says that Wheeler needs three votes from the five-member commission, where Democrats hold the majority.
Baburajan K
editor@telecomlead.com
