U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has proposed vacating Obama-era net neutrality rules that he said amount to micro-managing the internet, handing a victory to broadband providers such as AT&T Inc. and Comcast Corp. that oppose the regulations.
“I look forward to returning to the light-touch, market-based framework that unleashed the digital revolution and benefited consumers here and around the world,” Pai said in an emailed news release. Pai said he presented his proposal to fellow FCC commissioners today, and set for a vote on Dec. 14.
Supporters including Silicon Valley firms argue the rules are needed to keep network owners from favoring their own content and discouraging web startups. Critics say the rules discourage investment while exposing companies to a threat of heavier regulation including pricing mandates.
The regulation survived a court challenge from broadband providers last year. Previous attempts by the FCC to pass such rules ended with courts tossing them out or sending them back to be rewritten.