Overview[]
In June 2007, the Federal Trade Commission released a staff report, Broadband Connectivity Competition Policy, that urged caution in enacting so-called "network neutrality" regulations. The report, the work of the Commission's Internet Access Task Force, provides important background information on the technical functioning of the Internet, identifies guiding principles for policymakers, and cautions against imposing new regulations in the evolving, dynamic broadband Internet industry in the absence of significant market failure or demonstrated consumer harm.
The report also proposes guiding principles for assessing the "network neutrality" issue, and makes clear that the FTC will continue to vigorously enforce the antitrust and consumer protection laws and expend considerable efforts on consumer education, industry guidance, and competition advocacy in the important area of broadband Internet access.