Access To DataThe Open Internet Order Is Still The Way Forward (UPDATED WITH FILED FCC NPRM COMMENTS)
The i2Coalition is busy completing its response to the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on their “Restoring Internet Freedom” proposal. We have opted to keep our public declarations to a minimum until our NPRM submission was complete, but want to mention our support for the FCC’s current Open Internet rules on this Internet-wide day of action. (SEE THE UPDATE WITH OUR COMMENTS BELOW.)
This is a complicated, nuanced debate, and we don’t purport to have all the answers. However, walking back the Open Internet order is not the correct course of action to create a more competitive, consumer-friendly Internet. Furthermore, broadband to the home or office – often called the ‘last mile’ – is not ‘the Internet’. The Internet is a vastly more complex ecosystem than that, and most of it is highly competitive, whereas the ‘last mile’ is naturally less competitive by its very infrastructural nature. The current Open Internet rules ensure fair treatment to the entire ecosystem and don’t allow one portion of the Internet ecosystem to unfairly exploit or control the rest of it.
You can review i2Coalition’s 2014 NPRM on the Net Neutrality rule while we work on making a difference with this one too.
Today’s day of action is organized by Battle For The Net, a coalition made up of companies, private citizens, media creators, civil society organizations, non-profits, trade associations, political coalitions, and many more. It’s safe to say that the Open Internet rules have a broad range of support from across our society. Many of these have differing political issues but have come together for this important that is in all of our best interests.
Update: 2017 Filed Comments To The FCC
Our comments on the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) been completed and submitted. You can read them in their entirety below.
https://i2coalition.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/i2Coalition-207-06-2017-NPRM-Comments-Plain-Text.pdf