FCC's Tom Wheeler on Open Internet Rules: 'We Shouldn't Be Going Backwards' FCC's Tom Wheeler on Open Internet Rules: 'We Shouldn't Be Going Backwards'

By Nina Zipkin

entrepreneur daily
REUTERS | Yuri Gripas
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler gestures at the FCC Net Neutrality hearing in Washington.

With the FCC's Open Internet rules set to go into effect on June 12, telecom companies such as AT&T and CenturyLink and industry groups including the American Cable Association and the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association have requested that certain aspects of the rules be blocked due to the increased compliance burdens.

But despite these kinds of complaints (which are likely to turn into legal suits) and powerful net neutrality opponents such as Mark Cuban, who recently blamed the new rules for the breakdown of the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is optimistic about the road ahead.

Related: FCC Adopts Tough Net Neutrality Rule in Historic Regulatory Shift

In a conversation today at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in New York, Wheeler said that more than a dozen companies are currently suing the FCC, which he said he expected from the start of the debate over net neutrality. "I said all along, the big dogs are going to sue…the big dogs will sue on things they don't like, it's their right to." He went on to say that he felt confident about the outcome of the court cases.

Passed in February, the FCC's rules reclassified Internet Service Providers as "telecommunications services," therefore subjecting them to increased regulation. The reclassification gives the FCC more power to prevent broadband providers from favoring certain content providers.

Related: Obama Throws Support Behind Net Neutrality

Wheeler said the impressive 4 million responses the open comment period yielded, "proved the power of an open internet to free expression." He said that while disputes aren't likely to disappear in the near future, "I hope that in this debate what we recognize is that on June 12…there will be in place the strongest open internet protections that anyone has ever imagined. And we shouldn't be going backwards from them."

Regarding Comcast and Time Warner Cable, Wheeler believes the companies' decision to pull the plug on their proposed merger was the right call. "Our concern was that it was not in the public interest to do this."

Related: Despite What Mark Cuban Says, Net Neutrality Will Not Create 'Uncertainty'

Nina Zipkin

Entrepreneur Staff

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture.

Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Data & Recovery

Through March 24th: 1TB of Premium Cloud Storage Is Just $130 with This Code

Koofr offers advanced file management features, integration with external cloud management accounts, and reliable security.

Business News

'A Lobstrosity': Social Media Is Losing It Over Martha Stewart's Latest Meal Posting

The 82-year-old caused quite a stir on Instagram this week.

Business News

7 Shocking AI Trends for 2024 That Will Leave You Speechless

Make sure these trends are on your radar.

Side Hustle

This Gen Zer's Stylish Side Hustle Earns About $20,000 a Month and Paid Off His Parents' $200,000 Debt: 'I Enjoy the Hands-Off Nature'

Ray Cao went from working as a barista for $8 an hour to being a successful seller on online marketplace StockX.