The Federal Communications Commission voted to approve net neutrality on Thursday. However, small internet service providers are still unsure what the decision means. The Federal Communications Commission voted to approve net neutrality on Thursday. However, small internet service providers are still unsure what the decision means. KLCC's Corinne Boyer spoke with Peak Internet in Corvallis.
The FCC says its decision allows the internet to remain open and free from government and corporate control. The 300 page document detailing the new measure has not been publicly released. Peak Internet's CEO Rick Petersen says net neutrality is good for them because it ensures larger internet companies aren't favoring content providers or redirecting traffic.
Peterson: "The concern is it may not be a one size fits all bill for consumers because our consumers in rural Oregon may be completely different than consumers in the Portland metropolitan area or another major city. So if the rules are fair for all the providers, that's yet to be seen."
Peterson says it's possible service providers will be required to upgrade their services to offer internet access to rural markets. Because the specific language of the net neutrality measure is unknown, Peterson isn't sure if providers will have to pay for upgrades or if there will be federal assistance.