Genachowski to Senate: Open Internet is working

When FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski appeared before the Senate Commerce Committee this week, anti-regulation Republicans attacked the chairman for his support of net neutrality. The FCC implemented open Internet rules last year and is responsible for policing them.

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) who supports vast deregulation and curtailing the FCC, saying "he was concerned that networks and content providers were being treated as government property or services," and that next "the FCC would next be telling content providers how to run their businesses." DeMint demanded to know how many complaints there have been from industry.

Genachowski's answer was clear: there have been no complaints.

Later, John Kerry (D-MA), who supports the FCC's open Internet rules, asked Genachowski what the upside of the rules have been. The chairman answered that the rules provide a framework and a stability that have encouraged investors and entrepreneurs.

CWA and Speed Matters support the FCC's open Internet rules for precisely these reasons, and believes, DeMint's complaints notwithstanding, that they're working.

Genachowski to Senate: No Network Neutrality Complaints So Far (May 16, 2012)

CWA opposes efforts to end open Internet (news release, Feb. 16, 2011)