
ATT loses years-long quest to cripple FTC authority over telecoms - rosser
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/02/att-loses-years-long-quest-to-cripple-ftc-authority-over-telecoms/
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ocdtrekkie
This is pretty huge, as it ensures that once net neutrality rules are
repealed, the FTC will be empowered to go after ISPs for unfair and
anticompetitive business practices. The largest issue with assigning ISPs as
Title II is that they become exempt from FTC regulation, a status that I
realistically, don't think any company should be granted.

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craftyguy
>for unfair and anticompetitive business practices.

Who goes after the government entities that allows ISPs to operate like
localized monopolies?

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ocdtrekkie
Our federal government should be moving to prohibit local governments from
passing or enforcing local laws which guarantee monopolies.

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exabrial
> FCC Chairman Ajit Pai applauded the court ruling.

> The decision "reaffirms that the Federal Trade Commission will once again be
> able to police Internet service providers after the Restoring Internet
> Freedom Order takes effect," Pai said in a statement issued today. "In the
> months and years ahead, we look forward to working closely with the FTC to
> ensure the protection of a free and open Internet."

I'm glad they included this quote, because the media has certainly been _not_
reporting the complete facts with NN.

As for the question of "local ISPs are monopolies, so free market rules don't
work", I have a lot more confidence in network innovation with the last mile
problem. If we could transmit gigabit over wet twine, we wouldn't be worried
about Net Neutrality because the install costs would be extremely low. I'd
give the free market a chance to break up the monopolies first.. There's
nothing I want to see more that Comcast going bankrupt and their CEO still
wondering why "people are demanding more than 50mpbs of internet access".

