Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski reportedly has decided to attempt Title II regulation of broadband access services, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, despite some other reports that he was leaning against such rules.
Genachowski’s staff apparently began briefing the FCC’s commissioners on how they will propose to regulate broadband access using Title II rules, though it is not clear that every Title II provision will be applied.
It does not appear the chairman will propose new wholesale access rules, or whether strict rules about packet non-discrimination will be sought, theoretically barring quality-of-service features from being offered.
It is possible the chairman will try to gain adoption of new rules that simply codify as FCC policy the “Internet Freedoms” principles the agency already has adopted, and which industry providers say they are, and will in the future, abide by.
We will know soon enough how the chairman proposes to thread the camel through the eye of the needle.
