Over half a million Americans
have shared their feelings on net neutrality with the FCC as the
commission ponders new rules that could drastically reshape the
internet. Earlier this afternoon, Chairman Tom Wheeler reported that the
FCC has so far received around 647,000 comments as the July 15th
deadline for initial feedback approaches. The commission will then
accept responses to those comments into the month of September.
At best, a final decision on the controversial net neutrality proposal
isn't expected until near the end of this year. "Keep your input
coming," Wheeler tweeted today.
We’ve received about 647k #netneutrality comments so far. Keep your input coming -- 1st round of comments wraps up July 15.
— Tom Wheeler (@TomWheelerFCC) July 11, 2014
Net neutrality advocates have
voiced concerns about Wheeler's proposal for months now, mainly focusing
on the FCC's willingness to let ISPs charge companies "commercially
reasonable" rates to speed up consumer access to their services. Wheeler
has routinely denied that the net neutrality rules would establish
so-called "fast lanes" for companies with enough money to pay for them,
but neutrality supporters still aren't receptive.
http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/11/5891541/fcc-received-over-647000-net-neutrality-comments-so-far