Net Neutrality: Internet As Public Service, Historic Vote in US Commission

Today, at the last hour, the body that regulates U.S. telecommunications decided on net neutrality.

The proposals of the president, Tom Wheeler, were approved. They ensure the impossibility of bandwidth providers blocking or slowing web traffic alleging reasons tied to the payment of additional sums. The same regulations provide for the reclassification of broadband as a public service, subjecting the service itself to a stricter regulation.

The most controversial part of the Federal Communications Commission’s decision reclassifies broadband telecommunications services, landline and mobile, as a communications service for all intents and purposes, with the providers subjected to the same rules as the providers of public utilities in the sense of Title II of the Communications Act. This brings Internet services under the same type of regulatory norms as landline and cellular phone services and omits the possibility for telecommunications operators to give preferential services upon pay.

Based on these rules, web giants do not have to pay additional sums when they occupy bandwidth for their services. Think of the example of Netflix, the famous service of on-demand online streaming, which is accessible via subscription, and is present in all the world (including Cuba), but not in Italy.

The council of the regulatory authority was divided in half between the Democratic commissioners and President Tom Wheeler, who voted in favor, and the Republican councilors who voted against. The final vote was 3 to 2.

Barack Obama himself had spoken in favor of net neutrality through an unprecedented endorsement, while Google, after having adamantly supported the new rules over the last weeks, had expressed perplexity over the new regulations, even [questioning] their utility.