Court Rejects Ancillary Authority Argument in Comcast Case, Sparking Reclassification Debate

摘要

In a decision that could spur FCC reclassification of broadband Internet access services or congressional action to give the FCC clear authority to regulate broadband networks, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has overturned a 2008 FCC order that found Comcast Corp. had violated the Commission's 2005 broadband industry principles by interfering with BitTorrent peer-to-peer filing-sharing communications.rnThe April 6 court decision has implications not just for the 2008 order but also for an "open Internet" proceeding the FCC launched last fall into whether it should codify the 2005 broadband industry principles, along with two new principles calling for transparency and non-discrimination.