The Hill News

The FCC’s Open Internet Order will dramatically impact the lives of more than 230 million users of the Internet in this nation. It issues basic rules of the road to promote user access and establish consumer safeguards against discrimination and paid prioritization for fixed broadband access consumers. It also clears up some of the fog that prevents industry and investors from funding new innovative products and services, which both complement and could compete in the future against existing services and technologies.

However, because these rules are neither network nor technologically-neutral, they will disproportionately impact minority and other wireless broadband consumers, who pay more money with fewer dollars to subscribe for broadband Internet access service. Commissioner Clyburn has correctly pointed out that the two-framework system that has been adopted in this Order will invariably cost minorities more to stay connected and do things online, such as receive workforce training and healthcare advice, save money through online comparison shopping, register to vote and to acquire the resources and the “know-how” to start small communications and technology sector businesses of their own. I will be reaching out to the FCC, industry, public interest groups, and other stakeholders to discuss ways to blunt the negative impact that these rules will have on minority and other wireless broadband consumers.

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