Internet Providers Hold Fire on Net Neutrality

Related: Embattled Media Now Aiming at Each Other

Cable and telecom internet service providers want the Supreme Court to move its deadline for their challenge to the FCC’s Open Internet Order in case the new FCC renders that challenge moot.

While they also took pains in explaining to the court why the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit’s decision not to overturn the FCC’s Title II classification of ISPs was appeal-worthy, they asked for 60 more days to file their appeal — to Sept. 28 — while hoping the FCC would weigh in by then on the proposal to roll back Title II on its own initiative.

FCC chairman Ajit Pai has proposed rolling back Title II, which ISPs have long tabbed the nuclear option. Doing that would significantly decrease the threat level and likely prompt those ISPs to withdraw their appeal.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.