Verizon Files Lawsuit against New Net Neutrality Rules

Last week advocacy group Free Press filed a lawsuit in federal court to block the recently ratified Net Neutrality rules approved by the FCC late last year. On Friday afternoon Verizon joined the fray. While both groups are on opposite ends of the spectrum (Verizon doesn't want any rules, while Free Press and groups like them think the rules aren't tough enough) when it comes to their reason for going to court, they share an interest in seeing the law struck down by the courts.

On Friday afternoon, Verizon filed its challenge to the FCC's network neutrality rules, suing in federal court to stop them. Verizon's core argument in its court filing is that the agency has no authority to issue rules affecting the Internet.

"Verizon is fully committed to an open Internet," said Verizon senior vice president Michael Glover in a statement. "We are deeply concerned by the FCC’s assertion of broad authority to impose potentially sweeping and unneeded regulations on broadband networks and services and on the Internet itself. We believe this assertion of authority is inconsistent with the statute and will create uncertainty for the communications industry, innovators, investors and consumers."

Verizon's lawsuit takes issue with the fact that the rules exempt wireless networks, and describes them as "arbitrary" and "capricious." Free Press basically used the same arguments as Verizon when it filed its case before the federal courts. Verizon has hired attorney Helgi Walker to oversee its fight in federal court. She has some expertise on the matter, having represented Comcast to argue that the FCC has no authority to regulate its P2P throttling practices.

We'll keep you posted on this story as well as any other lawsuit filed against the FCC's new rules.

Source: Ars Technica