14 DAY TRIAL // The long-awaited rules for a free Internet have been officially published, which means that companies are now fully entitled to take them to court. And, unsurprisingly, they already have.
The United States Telecom Association, USTelecom for short, already filed a lawsuit on Monday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, claiming that the rules are "arbitrary, capricious and an abuse of discretion," CNET reports.
These rules, which have already been approved by the FCC, state that broadband providers are not allowed to block legal Web traffic or to accept payment to prioritize traffic.
They are unfavorable for carriers and could lead to financial losses for the companies if they come into effect on June 12. This is why they have hastened to file the lawsuits in hope that the strict regulations will be dismissed.
The FCC declared that they had decided to make the rules public as a step in regulating the Internet services that people should have access to.
The rules are meant for both fixed and mobile broadband Internet services and they require Internet providers to offer their services at "just and reasonable" rates.
More companies are expected to jump on the bandwagon
Broadband companies have confirmed that they agree with the idea of net neutrality, but the fact that they have hurried to file lawsuits shortly after the rules were published proves the exact contrary, namely that they dislike the concept of keeping the Internet free and open, which is the main point of the order.
More companies are expected to dispute the rules in court during the 60-day period until the order comes into effect, following the publication in the Federal Register.
With president Obama himself endorsing the set of regulations, it is very unlikely that the companies will win, but it remains to be seen if broadband service providers will treat all Internet traffic accordingly, providing equal chances for everyone.