First, consumers and innovators have a right to know the basic performance characteristics of their Internet access and how their network is being managed. The transparency rule we adopt today will give consumers and innovators the clear and simple information they need to make informed choices in choosing networks or designing the next killer app
Second, consumers and innovators have a right to send and receive lawful traffic -- to go where they want, say what they want, experiment with ideas--commercial and social, and use the devices of their choice. The rules thus prohibit the blocking of lawful content,apps, services, and the connection of devices to the network
Third, consumers and innovators have a right to a level playing field. No central authority, public or private, should have the power to pick winners and losers on the Internet; that’s the role of the commercial market and the marketplace of ideas. So we are adopting a ban on unreasonable discrimination. And we are making clear that we are not approving so-called “pay for priority” arrangements involving fast lanes for some companies but not others. The order states that as a general rule such arrangements won’t satisfy the no-unreasonable-discrimination standard -- because it simply isn’t consistent with an open Internet for broadband providers to skew the marketplace by favoring one idea or application or service over another by selectively prioritizing Internet traffic.
Fourth, the rules recognize that broadband providers need meaningful flexibility to manage their networks to deal with congestion, security, and other issues. And we also recognize the importance and value of business-model experimentation, such as tiered pricing. These are practical necessities, and will help promote investment in, and expansion of,high-speed broadband networks. So, for example, the order rules make clear that broadband providers can engage in “reasonable network management”
Fifth, the principle of Internet openness applies to mobile broadband. There is one Internet, and it must remain an open platform, however consumers and innovators access it. And so today we are adopting, for the first time, broadly applicable rules requiring transparency for mobile broadband providers, and prohibiting them from blocking websites or blocking certain competitive applications.
Sixth, and finally, today’s order recognizes the importance of vigilance—vigilance inpromptly enforcing the rules we are adopting and vigilance in monitoring developmentsin areas such as mobile and the market for specialized services, which may affect Internet openness. That’s why I’m pleased that we’ve committed to create an Open Internet AdvisoryCommittee that will assist the Commission in monitoring the state of Internet opennessand the effects of our rules. We’re also launching an Open Internet Apps Challenge on challenge.gov that will foster private-sector development of applications to empower consumers with informationabout their own broadband connections, which will also help protect Internet openness.
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