AAI Says Repeal of Network Neutrality Eliminates Important Antitrust-Regulation Partnership, Deprives Competition and Consumers of Needed Safeguards

Last week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in a controversial 3-2 party-line vote, chose to repeal net neutrality rules. As part of this rollback, it also reclassified internet service providers (ISPs) as Title I “information services” rather than Title II “telecommunications services.” The FCC’s repeal of net neutrality rules contravenes the agency’s important public interest mandate and will likely lead to anticompetitive and anti-consumer outcomes. Repeal places an unreasonable burden on antitrust enforcement to police anticompetitive, anti-consumer conduct by dominant ISPs. It also dissolves the partnership between sector regulation and antitrust enforcement that has been vital for promoting competition and innovation on the internet. AAI’s commentary explains the issues and their implications here.