Title II Net Neutrality Rules Key to Closing Digital Divide, House Democrats to Say
Two House Democrats are preparing a letter to send to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler next week to press the agency to reclassify broadband as a Communications Act Title II telecom service, a House staffer told us. The two frame it…
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as important for closing the digital divide. “Only 64 percent of African American households have adopted broadband services at home. Adoption is even lower in Hispanic households where only slightly more than half (53 percent) have broadband,” said the letter still being circulated this week, led by Congressional Progressive Caucus co-chairman Keith Ellison, D-Minn., and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., ex-Congressional Black Caucus chairwoman. “In contrast, the national average is 70 percent, with broadband in 74 percent of White households.” They said wireless is an important way of closing the divide and urge strong rules applied to wired and wireless. “Strong rules that guarantee an Open Internet are important to minority-owned businesses,” the unreleased circulating draft of the letter said. “An Open Internet lowers barriers to entry and allows businesses of all sizes to compete on a global scale. Major mobile broadband providers have already blocked or hindered popular business tools such as mobile payments, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, and streaming video. ISP providers set up tolls and slower lanes.” The FCC is expected to circulate a net neutrality order Feb. 5 and vote on it Feb. 26. House Democrats are in Philadelphia for a retreat.