Fresh off a huge court victory for taxpayers and consumers that cemented its “Restoring Internet Freedom” rule, the FCC has announced a promising agenda for its late October meeting.
The FCC will be considering a number of deregulatory measures as well as tightening rules that cap excessive 911 fees. But the most encouraging news is the announcement that the agency will consider ending cable rate regulation in certain communities in Hawaii and Massachusetts due to the development of new services that have created more options for television viewers. In the past, many consumers had only one choice for multichannel video programming. Now they have many options, thanks to over-the-top streaming services. Competition has effectively eliminated the need for government rate setting.
As FCC Chairman Ajit Pai states, “Adopting this order would be a major step toward the Commission recognizing the realities of the modern video marketplace, and the increasingly important role that streaming services are playing in it.”
Though it doesn’t happen frequently enough, government officials should continually evaluate rules and regulations in light of innovation and technological advancement. Chairman Pai’s announcement acknowledges that an evolving marketplace shouldn’t be saddled with outdated and unnecessary regulations. That’s good news for taxpayers and consumers.