AT&T claims to embrace net neutrality but could still offer “fast lanes”

AT&T offered to follow the Federal Communications Commission's old network neutrality rules for three years if the government approves its acquisition of DirecTV.

Even though the FCC's 2010 Open Internet Order was largely overturned by a federal appeals court, AT&T said its merger with DirecTV would come with a "continued commitment for three years after closing to the FCC's Open Internet protections established in 2010, irrespective of whether the FCC re-establishes such protections for other industry participants following the DC Circuit Court of Appeals vacating those rules."

But AT&T hasn't said exactly how it interprets those rules. Judging by statements made by Comcast, AT&T could argue that the 2010 rules allow the controversial Internet "fast lanes" in which Web services pay Internet service providers for priority access to consumers over the network's last mile.