Verizon's Net Neutrality Challenge Claims It Violates Their Licenses

[Joanne98]

Not happy with the FCC's new net neutrality regulations passed last month, Verizon Communications filed an appeal against them in the United States Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit on Thursday. The FCC's rules aim to prevent Internet service providers from blocking certain websites or applications.

Verizon's appeal claims that the FCC has overstepped its authority and that the rules violate the company's constitutional rights. The company says that the net neutrality rules modify the terms of existing licenses held by Verizon. So, rather than launching a lawsuit that directly challenges the regulations, the company is appealing the rules as an illegal change to their existing licenses.

In a press release, Michael E. Glover, the company's senior vice president and general counsel said, "We are deeply concerned by the FCC's assertion of broad authority for sweeping new regulation of broadband networks and the Internet itself. We believe this assertion of authority goes well beyond any authority provided by Congress, and creates uncertainty for the communications industry, innovators, investors and consumers."

Verizon's other motion, also filed Thursday, asks the federal appeals court to assign to hear the appeal the same panel of judges who last April ruled that the FCC didn't have the authority to censure Comcast for interfering with users' web traffic.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/verizons-net-neutrality-challenge-claims-it-violates-their-licenses.php?ref=fpblg

[Enthusiast]

1. Corporate rule.

Learn to like it.

[DCKit]

2. I'm thinking (and very strongly hope) they picked the wrong court for this challenge. nt

[Demeter]

3. What rights are these?

[Moostache]

4. Please let THIS idiocy be the tipping point!

People need to wake the fuck up and realize that non-living corporations have usurped the power of the people and seized control of the government and both political parties. The genius of the Constitution was in its distribution of power (now largely neutered by a partisan Judicial and a cash-craven Legislature and Executive branch), its checks and balances have been tipped over - and unless we are able to re-establish that fundamental tenet of this republic, well, look around yourself and evaluate the situation for yourself without a media-approved filter.

Banksters and millionaires compete with billionaires to see just how much of the nation's cumulative wealth they can steal and horde for themselves, while 90% of the population lives in a declining empire with a declining standard of living and declining prospects for their families and their children. This is in what is referred to as "the richest nation on Earth"? Those with a modicum of historical view simply shed tears of lost opportunity and frustration while the majority stumble through life hoping desperately to gain that new handbag or pair of jeans or invite to the hot club that will dull the pain of being violated by the system...the future weeps while we sleep.

Verizon can fuck right off and get in line with the myriad of other greedy, power-mad, profit-only focused corporate entities that have ZERO CHANCE of gaining ANY $ from me - and by the way, I do not only stop at my personal boycott, I give negative word of mouth to all companies like Verizon that have pissed me off for the last time. Corporations need to be brought low and if the government will not or cannot do it, then it falls to the people to re-establish our government once more.

"...that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." indeed Mr. Lincoln, indeed!