The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a case that could determine whether cable companies will be required to open their high-speed Internet networks to rivals.
The high court will review an appellate court ruling that found federal regulators had improperly classified cable-modem transmission as an information service rather than a telecommunications service, an important distinction in determining whether cable operators would be required to open their broadband networks to competitors.
The FCC concluded in 2002 cable-modem service is properly classified as an interstate information service and is not subject to common carrier regulations.
Some Internet executives have said last year’s court decision overturning the U.S. regulator would require cable operators like Comcast Corp. and Cox Communications Inc. to share their high-speed Internet lines with competing Internet providers like Earthlink Inc.
The decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit also reportedly put on hold the FCC’s plans to revise rules pertaining to DSL networks, which Verizon Communications Inc. and other large incumbent phone companies own.
