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AT&T CEO Confident Company Will Defeat Neutrality in Court

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson is confident that the telco will defeat the FCC in court and dismantle the country's first ever meaningful net neutrality rules. Speaking to CNBC, Stephenson almost-happily explained how the FCC is being forced to respond to an industry legal stay of the FCC's rules, which don't technically take effect until June 12. AT&T has sued the FCC on two fronts for good measure; once as part of the USTelecom trade association, and once independently.

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"Based on our reading of the Title II order that came out, we're operating and we're investing under the scenario that these rules will probably be changed," he said.

"We don’t think this rulemaking is sustainable from a legal standpoint, but the courts will decide that. But irrespective, the Congress seems inclined to make a change here so we really think these rules will be modified to a format that will be conducive to investment in the long haul."

Most large ISPs have claimed that if the nation wants net neutrality rules, it should be Congress that crafts them. That's a bit disingenuous, since ISPs know that Congress is so fractured by partisan bickering and awash in telecom campaign contributions that meaningful Congressional neutrality rules are all but impossible.

In other words, Stephenson wants Congress to handle net neutrality because he knows nothing will come of it.

Still, the CEO is correct in noting that a 2016 White House administration shift (and a partisan shift at the FCC) is all that's necessary to dismantle the rules. As such, it's pretty clear that most of AT&T's 2016 campaign spending will be focused on one thing: getting consumer-friendly FCC boss Tom Wheeler out of office.

Most recommended from 60 comments



TIGERON
join:2008-03-11
Boston, MA
Motorola MG7550

12 recommendations

TIGERON

Member

keep talking

one thing that amazes me about over paid pinocchio-nosed douchebags like this one is that he doesn't realize the sheer number of enemies he's made not just by the subscriber base fed up with being nickeled and dimed and the major corporations such as google who are jumping in trying to challenge the status quo duopolies his company currently enjoys.

Makes me hate how our government is being bribed by people like Stephenson.

The government is slowly being replaced by corporations and is eroding our rights away everyday. No local accountability whatsoever. Corporate Government wants to take away or limit our right to information, our right to voice concern, our right to govern locally...and our right to assemble.

Keep your eyes open PEOPLE... this is not a politically left idea or a politically right idea... it is about Corporate Government limiting your rights...limiting your movements and feeding you...what they want to feed you.

Zenit_IIfx
The system is the solution
Premium Member
join:2012-05-07
Purcellville, VA
·Comcast XFINITY

7 recommendations

Zenit_IIfx

Premium Member

I am confident

I am confident "at&t" nee SBC will be broken up in court again someday too. Perhaps Verizon as well will go through the same fate. Hell lets throw in Comcast into the antitrust party (their ownership of NBC is sketchy and should have never been OK'ed)
ham3843
join:2015-01-15
USA

5 recommendations

ham3843

Member

Randall's behavior reminds me of a mild sociopath

The utter arrogance and bravado from this "creature" is stunning to say the least,
if there was ever a good excuse for the DOJ and FCC to dismantle SBC (new AT&T) and recreate the Bell System with the original manifest guidelines (a for profit company operating the public interest) this company defines it.

SBC took the AT&T name because of how poorly it was perceived by the consumer.
waycoolphil
join:2000-09-22
Cathedral City, CA

3 recommendations

waycoolphil

Member

This is the same guy...

that was confident the merger with T-Mobile would go through. And now he's also confident the merger with DIRECTV will go through. I guess if he wasn't confident about everything people would say he doesn't know what he's doing. Ya think?

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

3 recommendations

KrK

Premium Member

Sometimes I think at&t should get exactly what they want....

.... because then every city and town everywhere will welcome Google Fiber with open arms, and one day, at&t will become irrelevant as their stock is bought out for pennies, and the name at&t passes into the history books, synonymous with greed, evil and reaping what you sow, as a shining example of to all of how to fail in the most massive way possible.
Mr Matt
join:2008-01-29
Eustis, FL

3 recommendations

Mr Matt

Member

AT&T CEO sounds just like a Railroad Robber Barron.

One railroad president and Robber Barron didn't like stories about the railroads unsafe operation. The robber Barron refused to deliver newsprint to the newspaper. After a number of such incidents the government established the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate the railroads business practices and keep the Robber Barron's on a short leash.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK

2 recommendations

KrK

Premium Member

Screw the American people; We're at&t. We do what WE want.

We will own the Government and pillage the citizens. There is no other option.

We are at&t.