Congress to Overhaul Telecom Laws
May 25, 2010, 11:00 AM by Eric M. Zeman
Congress has begun to take the first steps necessary to modernize the Communications Act of 1996, which oversees much of the telecommunications industry. Lawmakers believe the law is out-of-date and doesn't reflect the needs of consumers, especially concerning the Internet and broadband. One of the changes being considered would give the Federal Communications Commission the ability to enforce its broadband and net neutrality policies. The FCC was slapped down by an appeals court decision earlier this year which suggested that the agency overstepped its authority when it scolded Comcast for throttling Internet speeds. Industry companies are opposed to government regulation, and insist the market is competitive without government oversight. The industry also believes government oversight might lead to regulatory controls over pricing. The process to overhaul the Communication Act is likely to take years. The last revision, which was completed in 1996, took five years to finalize.
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