Derived From: 6/17/10 News Release: Word | Acrobat
The Federal Communications Commission today opened a new proceeding to identify the legal approach that will best support its efforts to ensure universal access to affordable, high-quality broadband services; promote broadband innovation, investment, and competition; and protect and empower consumers. A Notice of Inquiry [What's a Notice of Inquiry?] adopted by the agency begins a public process to consider possible frameworks for addressing the high-speed connections most consumers use to access the Internet.
A recent decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit cast doubt on prior understandings about the FCC's ability to ensure fair competition and provide consumers with basic protections when they use today's broadband Internet services. Today's action begins the process of identifying the best way forward to ensure a solid and narrowly tailored legal foundation for implementing key recommendations of the National Broadband Plan -- such as refocusing the federal universal service program on promoting broadband deployment and adoption, ensuring consumers have access to relevant information about their broadband services, customer privacy, and access for people with disabilities - as well as for preserving the open Internet.
Today's Notice of Inquiry asks for public comment on issues including:
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Whether the Commission's "
information service" classification of broadband Internet service remains legally sound and adequate to support effective performance of the Commission's responsibilities;
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A "third way" under which the Commission would reaffirm that Internet content and applications remain generally unregulated under
Title I of the Communications Act; identify the Internet connectivity service that is offered as part of wired
broadband Internet service as a
telecommunications service; and
forbear under Section 10 of the Act from applying all provisions of Title II other than the small number that are needed to implement fundamental universal service, competition and market entry, and consumer protection policies.
The Notice also seeks comment on the appropriate classification of terrestrial wireless and satellite broadband Internet services, as well other issues.
Comments from the public are due on July 15, 2010, and reply comments are due on August 12, 2010. The Notice of Inquiry, as well as instructions for parties wishing to provide comments to the FCC, will be available at broadband.gov.
Action by the Commission, June 17, 2010, by Notice of Inquiry (FCC 10-114). Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners Copps and Clyburn with Commissioners McDowell and Baker dissenting. Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners Copps, McDowell, Clyburn and Baker issuing statements .
Docket No.: GN Docket No. 10-127
6/17/10
FCC to Seek Best Legal Framework for Broadband Internet Access.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Presentation: PowerPoint
NOI: Word | Acrobat
Genachowski Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Clyburn Statement: Word | Acrobat
Baker Statement: Word | Acrobat
Prepared Remarks Of Fcc Commissioner Mignon L. Clyburn At "The Future Of The Internet" Public Hearing, Minneapolis , Minnesota by Statement. CMMR 
TXT
Statement Of Fcc Commissioner Michael J. Copps At "The Future Of The Internet" Public Hearing, Minneapolis , Minnesota By Statement. CMMR TXT
5/6/10 Statement by Chairman Genachowski, "The Third Way: A Narrowly Tailored Broadband Framework"
5/6/10 Statement of FCC General Counsel Austin Schlick, "A Third-Way Legal Framework for Addressing the Comcast Dilemma"
FRAMEWORK FOR BROADBAND INTERNET SERVICE. Denied James W. Anderson's
motion for extension of the comment and reply periods. (Dkt No. 10-127
). Action by: the General Counsel. Adopted: 07/13/2010 by ORDER. (DA
No. 10-1296). OGC TXT
