Preserving the Open Internet

Citation
Federal Communications Commission, Preserving the Open Internet (full-text).

Overview
To preserve the Internet as an open platform for innovation, investment, job creation, economic growth, competition, and free expression and to provide greater clarity and certainty regarding the continued freedom and openness of the Internet, the FCC adoped three basic rules grounded in broadly accepted Internet norms, as well as its own prior decisions:


 * 1) Transparency. Fixed and mobile broadband providers must disclose the network management practices, performance characteristics, and terms and conditions of their broadband services;


 * 1) No blocking. Fixed broadband providers may not block lawful content, applications, services, or non-harmful devices; mobile broadband providers may not block lawful websites, or block applications that compete with their voice or video telephony services; and


 * 1) No unreasonable discrimination.

Fixed broadband providers may not unreasonably discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic. We believe these rules, applied with the complementary principle of reasonable network management, will empower and protect consumers and innovators while helping ensure that the Internet continues to flourish, with robust private investment and rapid innovation at both the core and the edge of the network. This is consistent with the National Broadband Plan goal of broadband access that is ubiquitous and fast, promoting the global competitiveness of the United States.