FTC sees no need for Net neutrality

Opponents to Net neutrality legislation applauded today’s release of a Federal Trade Commission report which urged the federal government to proceed with caution on any new Internet rules.

The FTC report, prepared by an Internet Access Task Force, found no evidence of “market failure or demonstrated consumer harm,” FTC Chairwoman Deborah Platt Majoras said in a press release. In fact, she said, the market is moving toward more competition, not less, warning that any regulation at this point would have “potentially adverse and unintended effects of regulation in the area of broadband Internet access.”

Those comments confirm what service providers such as Verizon have been saying, said Thomas Tauke, executive vice president for public affairs, policy and communications.

“Verizon supports an open Internet, and we are proud to offer our customers high-speed access to the services they want.,” he said in a prepared statement. “The Federal Trade Commission report confirms that there is no problem to fix. Proposals to impose new regulation actually threaten further advancements in broadband Internet connections. That hurts consumers by denying them new and better services.”

Walter McCormick, president and CEO of USTelecom, also greeted the FTC’s conclusions warmly.

“The FTC found what consumers already know – that they have a variety of competitive choices from cable, DSL, wireless, satellite and other alternative providers for high-speed Internet services, and there is no problem that requires regulation of the Internet,” he said in a prepared statement. “We applaud the FTC’s thorough analysis and appreciate its commitment to ensuring that consumers continue to have access to a robust marketplace.”