FCC's Copps Isn't Committed On Net Neutrality

The critical swing vote that Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski needs from Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps later this month to adopt sweeping new rules for the Internet is not guaranteed.

Commissioner Copps has made no commitments to back the network neutrality initiative that Chairman Genachowski announced December 1, and could reject it if the final version doesn't sufficiently protect consumers and smaller players. Commissioner Copps, a longtime consumer advocate who has been at the FCC since 2001, is signaling that his vote won't come cheap on this historic proposal, which would have lasting implications for the Internet.