(ARStechnica) House and Senate Republicans have scheduled hearings next Wednesday to propose legislation that would enforce net neutrality rules while forbidding the Federal Communications Commission from regulating broadband providers as common carriers.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler plans to unveil his net neutrality plan on February 5 and put it to a commission vote on February 26. He is expected to propose reclassifying broadband as a common carrier service to be regulated under Title II of the Communications Act, which is also used to regulate the landline phone system.
Wheeler intends to forbear from the more restrictive parts of Title II, choosing not to impose rate regulation on Internet providers. But ISPs and Republicans in Congress oppose reclassification and are willing to accept net neutrality rules in exchange for taking Title II off the table.
