Regulators, whose authority over broadband was put in doubt by a recent court ruling, will announce on Thursday that it will reassert its powers but will refrain from imposing strict burdens on broadband providers like Verizon, AT&T and Comcast.
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Julius Genachowski, is seeking to walk a line between moving forward with a bold broadband policy and averting a heavy regulatory hand that could spark legal action by companies like Verizon and AT&T.
A senior FCC official said on Wednesday that Genachowski has decided to stick with preserving a free and open Internet policy under a middle-of-the-road approach.
The FCC's announcement is expected to focus on maintaining the “status quo" for the lightly regulated broadband business that existed prior to a court ruling in April, the FCC official said. The ruling threw into doubt the government's ability to move forward with an ambitious broadband plan.
The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Julius Genachowski, is seeking to walk a line between moving forward with a bold broadband policy and averting a heavy regulatory hand that could spark legal action by companies like Verizon and AT&T.
A senior FCC official said on Wednesday that Genachowski has decided to stick with preserving a free and open Internet policy under a middle-of-the-road approach.
The FCC's announcement is expected to focus on maintaining the “status quo" for the lightly regulated broadband business that existed prior to a court ruling in April, the FCC official said. The ruling threw into doubt the government's ability to move forward with an ambitious broadband plan.
