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Verizon: We Won't Sue If FCC Returns To Weak Neutrality Rules

Earlier this month a blog post by Verizon indicated that Verizon would sue the FCC if the agency tried to pass anything other than the flimsy, Section 706 rules the FCC already tried to implement once. As noted at the time, Verizon would prefer it if readers of their missives ignore that it was Verizon that sued to overturn the FCC's original Section 706 rules, bringing us to the current Title II debate in the first place. You're also to ignore that Verizon in the process annoyed Comcast and AT&T, who were perfectly happy with the original, flimsy neutrality protections.

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In an ex parte letter filed with the agency yesterday (spotted by Jon Brodkin at Ars Technica, Verizon Executive VP Randal Milch again re-iterates that if the FCC pursues the flimsy 706 route, those rules "will not be the object of a successful court challenge—by Verizon or anyone else."

Isn't that nice of Verizon? Classify ISPs as Title II however, or utilize the "hybrid" approach to rules proposed by Wheeler (where ISPs are left alone but connections to edge providers are governed under Title II) and Verizon has made it repeatedly clear the FCC will be heading to court. Verizon is effectively backtracking but hoping you won't notice they're backtracking, realizing that they opened a Pandora's box by deciding to sue in the first place.

Milch was responding to recent comments made by Wheeler that he'll be taking his time crafting the rules, because he expects ISP lawsuits are inevitable.

"Let’s make sure that we understand what is going on here," Wheeler said. "The big dogs are going to sue regardless of what comes out." It's unclear why, given Verizon's decade of aggressively anti-net-neutrality behavior, we're to trust the telco when it comes to what the company will, or won't, sue over. If Verizon intends to sue no matter what, consumer advocates argue the FCC may as well go the Title II route and make sure it's a proper fight worth having.

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

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KrK

Premium Member

We demand a "Do Over"

We re-rolled. If the results are not as favorable as our original roll, we demand a do-over to re-roll again. Rinse, repeat.

Only when we win everything we want, will we agree the process is "fair and balanced."