Background: Earlier today, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-O) chastised FCC Chairman Kevin Martin over the Commission’s expected actions to punish Comcast for throttling Internet traffic.
The following is the response of Public Knowledge President and Co-Founder Gigi B. Sohn:
“It is a shame that the harm Comcast has done to the Internet has not been appreciated by Leader Boehner. Rather than criticizing FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Leader Boehner should praise him for putting a stop to a practice that technical experts have said is clearly outside the bounds of accepted Internet practice, while at the same time the FCC is acting to protect consumers.
“The FCC’s action is in no way ‘heavy-handed,’ as Leader Boehner put it. It is, rather, a return to the principles of open competition and non-discrimination that have been a part of communications law in this country for more than 70 years. It will in no way deter broadband investment, as the financial results of AT&T, which is operating under a Net Neutrality merger condition, have shown. It will in no way hinder the ability of companies to manage their networks.
“The FCC’s action, and the Chairman’s leadership, is entirely praiseworthy. Those who support innovation and competition should praise the Commission, not condemn it.”
Members of the media may contact Communications Director Shiva Stella with inquiries, interview requests, or to join the Public Knowledge press list at shiva@publicknowledge.org or 405-249-9435.