Ajit Pai will return pro-consumer focus at FCC

[Commentary] Unlike the Federal Communications Commission’s previous head, new FCC Chairman Ajit Pai is putting consumers first, not network neutrality. The sad reality is that the previous FCC did the bidding of the biggest edge providers, both on the issue of net neutrality and opening up the cable box market.

Net neutrality began as a bipartisan, unanimous FCC policy statement in 2005 that ensured consumers could competitively access and use the legal content, apps, and devices of their choice, subject to reasonable network management. In 2009, net neutrality ceased being about consumers, and all about edge providers, when Professor Tim Wu, the one who coined the term “net neutrality,” redefined it to become about consumers economically subsidizing edge providers. By replacing Title II net neutrality price regulation with free market competition that naturally puts customers in charge, Chairman Pai can reverse mistakes made during the Obama administration, and bring a truly pro-consumer focus back to his agency.

[Scott Cleland is president of Precursor LLC and chairman of NetCompetition.]