Internet Equality Resurfaces. Why It Matters for You
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reinstated net neutrality on Thursday, 2021, a decision that has been met with mixed reactions from various stakeholders.
In a statement made to the New York Times on Thursday, Jonathan Spalter, the president of USTelecom, a broadband lobbying group, did not express support for the reinstatement of net neutrality. However, he did state that net neutrality is a non-issue for broadband consumers.
The FCC's new rules regulate telecom companies and prohibit the blocking or throttling of certain, lawful content. The rules also include language to prevent telecom companies from prioritizing certain traffic.
The FCC, in its efforts to address the concept of network slicing, a feature of 5G technology that creates multiple virtual subnetworks and can prioritize certain 5G customers, has not imposed explicit regulatory constraints. Instead, regulators and policymakers emphasize spectrum efficiency and enabling 5G innovation, while standardization bodies work towards technical guidelines for slicing.
Network slicing, a technical capability that partitions network resources logically within a carrier’s licensed spectrum, enabling tailored virtual networks for different services or users, is recognized as a crucial component of advanced 5G technologies. Efficient spectrum management, including competitive bidding and spectrum modernization legislation aimed at freeing up mid-band spectrum for advanced 5G technologies, is a key focus.
As of mid-2025, there are no specific or newly detailed U.S. federal rules or regulations explicitly governing network slicing under a reinstated net neutrality policy. Any future net neutrality regulations would likely have to balance non-discrimination mandates with the technical and service differentiation capabilities inherent to network slicing.
Despite the lack of explicit regulations, the FCC can prevent foreign-owned entities posing a national security threat from operating broadband networks. The FCC also has the authority to intervene if broadband networks go down, affecting workers, businesses, or students.
The reinstatement of net neutrality brings back the principle that internet providers should treat all traffic equally. However, the regulatory landscape for network slicing remains unclear, with industry standardization efforts ongoing and real-world deployment examples showing slicing being used for mission-critical services without indications of regulatory limitations directly tied to net neutrality concerns.
- Gizmodo reported on the FCC's reinstatement of net neutrality, noting that while some stakeholders welcomed the move, Jonathan Spalter of USTelecom expressed a non-supportive stance, claiming net neutrality is irrelevant to broadband consumers.
- The new FCC rules include regulations that prohibit telecom companies from blocking, throttling, or prioritizing certain content, but do not impose explicit constraints on network slicing, a crucial component of advanced 5G technologies.
- Within the tech policy-and-legislation landscape, efforts are being made to balance non-discrimination mandates with the technical and service differentiation capabilities inherent to network slicing under the reinstated net neutrality policy.
- The FCC maintains authority over broadband networks, preventing foreign-owned entities posing a national security threat from operating these networks, and intervening if network downtime impacts workers, businesses, or students, regardless of future net neutrality regulations.
