Wheeler has been nothing but a thorn in the sides of free market advocates – whether it be his contempt for the “Redskins” or his successful push for net neutrality.
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What does the FCC do? It seems a little counterintuitive that more laws enforced by the USA federal government would actually be beneficial to keeping access to the internet more equitable and accessible for all.
Pai had been a sitting Republican commissioner at the FCC, The Washington Post notes, which means he doesn’t need to be confirmed by the Senate to serve as the agency’s 34th chairman.
Pai is an Indian-American, and his new position will provide him with control over the country’s most powerful telecommunications regulating body. This means that he can be appointed to the role immediately, without having to be approved by congress.
For instance, Department of Commerce appointee Wilbur Ross, a billionaire investor and Wall Street banker credited with reviving USA manufacturing businesses, could reverse the Obama administration’s policy of offering spectrum as an incentive to invest in areas that wouldn’t quickly reward internet infrastructure investment, according to The Guardian. Jenner & Block later represented Charter Communications to the FCC in its $US90 ($119) billion merger with the widely-loathed Time Warner Cable; the firm’s site boasts that it “defeated challenges to the deal from an array of opponents, including competitors and public interest groups”.
Pai’s parents came to America from India 45 years ago with no assets other than $10, a transistor radio, and a desire to achieve the American Dream.
Internet providers fear net neutrality rules make it harder to manage Internet traffic and make investment in additional capacity less likely.
As chairman, Pai will prioritize policies to expand high-speed broadband, a move he said will boost the “American can-do spirit” in the digital age.
Along with other Republican FCC commissioners, Pai has signaled that the FCC will revisit net neutrality regulations.
What exactly is net neutrality? “He absolutely criticized Wheeler for ignoring input, but this whole enterprise, the Open Internet Order, rests on mistaken legal claims, so it’s going to be hard for Pai not to undo them”.
Net neutrality is the basic concept that internet service providers should not be able to charge more for data based on where that data is coming from.
The year before, Democratic commissioners at the FCC voted to allow another Obama donor to receive discounts at wireless auctions, which Pai decried as “unlawful”.
Larry Downes writes for Forbes that Pai’s appointment is very good news for the internet ecosystem.
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With mixed feelings. Whilst some are happy that Pai will be taking the helm… But, the main reason why Ajit Pai has been so criticised was because of the net neutrality problem.
