The following are key excerpts from the Report and Order adopted by the Commissi

on to preserve the open Internet:

Rule 1: Transparency
A person engaged in the provision of broadband Internet access service shall pub
licly disclose accurate information regarding the network management practices,
performance, and commercial terms of its broadband Internet access services suff
icient for consumers to make informed choices regarding use of such services and
for content, application, service, and device providers to develop, market, and
maintain Internet offerings.
Rule 2: No Blocking
A person engaged in the provision of fixed broadband Internet access service, in
sofar as such person is so engaged, shall not block lawful content, applications
, services, or non-harmful devices, subject to reasonable network management.
A person engaged in the provision of mobile broadband Internet access service, i
nsofar as such person is so engaged, shall not block consumers from accessing la
wful websites, subject to reasonable network management; nor shall such person b
lock applications that compete with the provider s voice or video telephony servic
es, subject to reasonable network
Rule 3: No Unreasonable Discrimination
A person engaged in the provision of fixed broadband Internet access service, in
sofar as such person is so engaged, shall not unreasonably discriminate in trans
mitting lawful network traffic over a consumer s broadband Internet access service
. Reasonable network management shall not constitute unreasonable discriminatio
n.
Select Definitions
Broadband Internet access service: A mass-market retail service by wire or radi
o that provides the capability to transmit data to and receive data from all or
substantially all Internet endpoints, including any capabilities that are incide
ntal to and enable the operation of the communications service, but excluding di
al-up Internet access service. This term also encompasses any service that the
Commission finds to be providing a functional equivalent of the service describe
d in the previous sentence, or that is used to evade the protections set forth i
n this Part.
Reasonable network management. A network management practice is reasonable if i
t is appropriate and tailored to achieving a legitimate network management purpo
se, taking into account the particular network architecture and technology of th
e broadband Internet access service. Legitimate network management purposes incl
ude: ensuring network security and integrity, including by addressing traffic th
at is harmful to the network; addressing traffic that is unwanted by users (incl
uding by premise operators), such as by providing services or capabilities consi
stent with a user s choices regarding parental controls or security capabilities;
and by reducing or mitigating the effects of congestion on the network.
Pay for Priority Unlikely to Satisfy No Unreasonable Discrimination Rule
A commercial arrangement between a broadband provider and a third party to direc
tly or indirectly favor some traffic over other traffic in the connection to a s
ubscriber of the broadband provider (i.e., pay for priority ) would raise significa
nt cause for concern. First, pay for priority would represent a significant dep
arture from historical and current practice. Since the beginning of the Interne
t, Internet access providers have typically not charged particular content or ap
plication providers fees to reach the providers consumer retail service subscribe
rs or struck pay-for-priority deals, and the record does not contain evidence th
at U.S. broadband providers currently engage in such arrangements. Second this
departure from longstanding norms could cause great harm to innovation and inves
tment in and on the Internet. As discussed above, pay-for-priority arrangements
could raise barriers to entry on the Internet by requiring fees from edge provi
ders, as well as transaction costs arising from the need to reach agreements wit
h one or more broadband providers to access a critical mass of potential users.
Fees imposed on edge providers may be excessive because few edge providers have
the ability to bargain for lesser fees, and because no broadband provider inter
nalizes the full costs of reduced innovation and the exit of edge providers from
the market. Third, pay-for-priority arrangements may particularly harm non-com
mercial end users, including individual bloggers, libraries, schools, advocacy o
rganizations, and other speakers, especially those who communicate through video
or other content sensitive to network congestion. Even open Internet skeptics
acknowledge that pay for priority may disadvantage non-commercial uses of the ne
twork, which are typically less able to pay for priority, and for which the Inte
rnet is a uniquely important platform. Fourth, broadband providers that sought
to offer pay-for-priority services would have an incentive to limit the quality
of service provided to non-prioritized traffic. In light of each of these conce
rns, as a general matter, it is unlikely that pay for priority would satisfy the
no unreasonable discrimination standard. The practice of a broadband Internet ac
cess service provider prioritizing its own content, applications, or services, o
r those of its affiliates, would raise the same significant concerns and would b
e subject to the same standards and considerations in evaluating reasonableness
as third-party pay-for-priority arrangements.
Measured Steps for Mobile Broadband
Mobile broadband presents special considerations that suggest differences in how
and when open Internet protections should apply. Mobile broadband is an earlie
r-stage platform than fixed broadband, and it is rapidly evolving. For most of
the history of the Internet, access has been predominantly through fixed platfor
ms -- first dial-up, then cable modem and DSL services. As of a few years ago,
most consumers used their mobile phones primarily to make phone calls and send t
ext messages, and most mobile providers offered Internet access only via walled g
ardens or stripped down websites. Today, however, mobile broadband is an import
ant Internet access platform that is helping drive broadband adoption, and data
usage is growing rapidly. The mobile ecosystem is experiencing very rapid inno
vation and change, including an expanding array of smartphones, aircard modems,
and other devices that allow mobile broadband providers to enable Internet acces
s; the emergence and rapid growth of dedicated-purpose mobile devices like e-rea
ders; the development of mobile application ( app ) stores and hundreds of thousands
of mobile apps; and the evolution of new business models for mobile broadband p
roviders, including usage-based pricing.
Moreover, most consumers have more choices for mobile broadband than for fixed b
roadband. Mobile broadband speeds, capacity, and penetration are typically muc
h lower than for fixed broadband, though some providers have begun offering 4G
service that will enable offerings with higher speeds and capacity and lower lat
ency than previous generations of mobile service. In addition, existing mobile
networks present operational constraints that fixed broadband networks do not t
ypically encounter. This puts greater pressure on the concept of reasonable net
work management for mobile providers, and creates additional challenges in applyi
ng a broader set of rules to mobile at this time. Further, we recognize that t
here have been meaningful recent moves toward openness, including the introducti
on of open operating systems like Android. In addition, we anticipate soon seei
ng the effects on the market of the openness conditions we imposed on mobile pro
viders that operate on upper 700 MHz C-Block spectrum, which includes Verizon Wi
reless, one of the largest mobile wireless carriers in the U.S.
In light of these considerations, we conclude it is appropriate to take measured
steps at this time to protect the openness of the Internet when accessed throug
h mobile broadband
Specialized Services
In the Open Internet NPRM, the Commission recognized that broadband providers of
fer services that share capacity with broadband Internet access service over pro
viders last-mile facilities, and may develop and offer other such services in the
future. These specialized services, such as some broadband providers existing fac
ilities-based VoIP and Internet Protocol-video offerings, differ from broadband
Internet access service and may drive additional private investment in broadband
networks and provide consumers valued services, supplementing the benefits of t
he open Internet. At the same time, specialized services may raise concerns reg
arding bypassing open Internet protections, supplanting the open Internet, and e
nabling anticompetitive conduct. We note also that our rules define broadband I
nternet access service to encompass any service that the Commission finds to be p
roviding a functional equivalent of [broadband Internet access service], or that
is used to evade the protections set forth in these rules.
We will closely monitor the robustness and affordability of broadband Internet a
ccess services, with a particular focus on any signs that specialized services a
re in any way retarding the growth of or constricting capacity available for bro
adband Internet access service. We fully expect that broadband providers will i
ncrease capacity offered for broadband Internet access service if they expand ne
twork capacity to accommodate specialized services. We would be concerned if ca
pacity for broadband Internet access service did not keep pace. We also expect
broadband providers to disclose information about specialized services impact, if
any, on last-mile capacity available for, and the performance of, broadband Int
ernet access service. We may consider additional disclosure requirements in thi
s area in our related proceeding regarding consumer transparency and disclosure.
We would also be concerned by any marketing, advertising, or other messaging b
y broadband providers suggesting that one or more specialized services, taken al
one or together, and not provided in accordance with our open Internet rules, is
Internet service or a substitute for broadband Internet access service. Finally,
we will monitor the potential for anticompetitive or otherwise harmful effects
from specialized services, including from any arrangements a broadband provider
may seek to enter into with third parties to offer such services. The Open Int
ernet Advisory Committee will aid us in monitoring these issues.
Action by the Commission December 21, 2010, by Report and Order (FCC 10-201). C
hairman Genachowski approving, Commissioner Clyburn approving in part and concur
ring in part; Commissioner Copps concurring, Commissioners McDowell and Baker dis
senting. Separate statements issued by Chairman Genachowski, Commissioners Copps
, McDowell, Clyburn, and Baker.