Pai was opposed to the rules from the start, largely due to the FCC's method. The regulator reclassified internet access services under Title II of the Telecommunication Act, making it a utility service subject to FCC authority. This allowed the regulator to impose the ban on ISPs employing practices such as throttling connection speeds, blocking websites, and accepting payment for prioritizing traffic.
Pai said he wanted to go back to the "light-touch regulatory framework" envisaged 20 years ago when the Telecom Act was passed, which allowed the internet to flourish, rather than subject the market to "outdated" rules designed for traditional phone companies. Pai plans to put his proposal to the commission for a vote in May, after which it would be subject to public consultation before a final decision.
The chairman's announcement was welcomed by a number of ISPs, such as Verizon and CenturyLink, which opposed in court the original FCC order. Comcast said it still supported robust net neutrality protections, but opposed the Title II classification of broadband and would rather see Congress take action on net neutrality. Industry groups such as the TIA, ACA and CTIA took a similar position, saying they back net neutrality but prefer a different approach, through legislation rather than the FCC.
The Internet Association, which represents many e-commerce and online service providers, was less enthusiastic. It said the current rules are working and should not be changed; these protect consumers from "ISPs looking to play gatekeeper or prioritize their own content at the expense of competition online". The group said it would continue to defend the existing rules at the FCC as well as look to Congress to address the issue.
Public interest groups also voiced opposition to Pai's announcement. Public Knowledge said that if the Open Internet order of 2015 is overturned, the FCC will struggle to uphold net neutrality, as was seen previously in the number of court cases it lost on the matter. It accused the FCC of siding with industry interests over consumers and warned that if Pai's vision is enacted, "the broadband monopolies would have far more latitude to favor their own vertically-integrated content and services over competitors".
