The Internet Distinction

(Original at Reuters)

(Reuters) – Verizon Communications Inc on Friday asked a federal appeals court to block the Federal Communications Commission from imposing new rules on how Internet service providers manage their networks.

The FCC last Friday said its so-called net neutrality rules were scheduled to take effect on November 20.

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In a filing with the federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., Verizon said the FCC was “arbitrary” and “capricious” and acted beyond its statutory authority in imposing the rules.

The rules “impose potentially sweeping and unneeded regulations on broadband networks and services and on the Internet itself,” Michael Glover, deputy general counsel at Verizon, said in a statement.

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Some public interest groups have also criticized the FCC rules, saying they are weak and favor some phone and cable companies with large Internet presences, such as AT&T Inc and Comcast Corp.

The D.C. Circuit in April threw out a challenge by Verizon and MetroPCS Communications Inc to the rules, calling it premature.

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The case is Verizon v. FCC et al, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 11-1359.

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