The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to pass net neutrality rules in what's considered a victory by open internet advocates.
"The Internet was built on open technology," explained Lance Larson, formerly with San Diego State University Management Information Systems recently. "It wasn't a closed Internet, otherwise it wouldn't be as big, as vast, and as powerful an information tool as it is today."
On Thursday, a split FCC vote supported that opinion.
Internet service providers like Comcast, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile now must act in the "public interest" when providing a mobile connection to your home or phone, under rules approved by a divided FCC.
The goal is to prevent providers from slowing or blocking web traffic, or creating paid fast lanes on the Internet, said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler.
"Open, free delivery of the Internet at speeds that we all can enjoy," Larson explained. "Not really a tiered system where those that pay more, get more and those that pay less, potentially get less.
The 3-2 vote was expected to trigger industry lawsuits that could take several years to resolve. Still, consumer advocates cheered the regulations as a victory for smaller Internet-based companies which feared they would have to pay "tolls" to move their content.
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