Out of court, Net Neutrality becomes political football in Congress

The D.C. district court, which has sided with carriers on other cases focused on consumer protection, didn't come down on the side of Internet users.

The carriers are challenging the FCC's right to regulate the wired and wireless Internet, in part on the grounds that the rules are retroactive because they were created afterwards Verizon and MetroPCS bid on the wireless spectrum the Net Neutrality rules barely touch.

The regs mainly focused on the wired Internet

The regs mainly focused on the wired Internet, forbidding carriers from throttling, degrading or blocking content from competitors, nevertheless giving them carte blanche to make any changes necessary for a reasonable degree of network management. Which almost undoubtedly means blocking, throttling or degrading streaming video, audio and other high-bandwidth content coming across their networks from competing companies.

MetroPCS has already published a data plan that blocks online video streaming from every source except YouTube, and all VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) traffic – which competes with its main business.

Republicans in the House don't like the idea that the federal government can regulate the Internet or telecommunications infrastructure for which it helped pay and on which their constituencies depend.

The House scheduled a vote for today on a bill repealing the FCC's Net Neutrality rules because, they argue, the rules will discourage phone and cable companies from spending money on network upgrades by preventing them from offering higher-cost, higher-quality services for those willing to pay as so then as basic services for those who aren't. Here's the bill.

Press release Monday

In a press release Monday, White House officials described Net Neutrality rules as "an enforceable and effective policy for keeping the Internet free and open."

Blocking the rules would "raise questions as to whether technology on the Internet will be allowed to flourish, consumers will be protected from abuses, and the democratic spirit of the Internet will remain intact,

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