On Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission voted 3-2 in favor of regulating the internet under Title II of the Federal Communications Act, a move that would allow the FCC greater control of Internet Service Providers (ISP). Although the proposal has yet to be publicly unveiled, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has indicted that the internet will remain free from “fast lanes” and “throttling,” concepts that speak to ISPs ability to speed up or slow down content based on usage rates or monetary agreements with content providers. Regulation of the internet under Title II would also afford the FCC greater ability to force ISPs to more rapidly build out broadband in remote and other high-cost areas. The proposal is expected to be released in the coming months.
