(1) Our Nation’s economy, education, and soci-
ety are increasingly dependent upon broadband tele-
communications networks. 
(2) These networks also hold the promise of ad-
vancing economic growth, job creation, and techno-
logical innovation. 
(3) As America becomes ever more reliant upon 
such broadband networks, unfettered access to 
broadband networks to offer content and services 
and run software applications over the Internet is 
vital. 
(4) The global leadership in high technology the 
United States provides today stems directly from 
historic policies that have ensured that telecommuni-
cations networks are open to all lawful uses and to 
all users. 
(5) The Internet was enabled by those historic 
policies and provides an open architecture medium 
for world-wide communications, providing low bar-
riers to entry for web-based content, applications, 
and services. 
(6) Due to recent Federal Communications 
Commission interpretations and court decisions, 
these features of the Internet are no longer certain, 
and erosion of these historic policies permits 
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broadband network owners to claim they can control 
who can and who cannot offer content and services 
over the Internet utilizing their broadband networks. 
(7) The high technology economy would be se-
verely harmed if Internet content providers cannot 
reach 
consumers 
without 
interference 
from 
broadband network operators. 
(8) The overwhelming majority of residential 
consumers take broadband service from one of only 
two wireline providers, namely, from the cable oper-
ator or the local telephone company. 
(9) Broadband network operators have an eco-
nomic interest to discriminate in favor of their own 
services and against other online providers. 
(10) A network neutrality policy based upon the 
principle of nondiscrimination is essential to ensure 
that broadband telecommunications networks, in-
cluding the Internet, remain open to independent 
service and content providers. 
(11) A network neutrality policy is also essen-
tial to give certainty to entrepreneurs, innovators, 
investors, and others who rely upon the Internet for 
commercial reasons. 
(12) A network neutrality policy can also per-
mit broadband network operators to take action to 
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protect network reliability, prevent spam, and thwart 
illegal uses in the same way that network operators 
have historically done so. 
(13) Because of the vital role that broadband 
networks and the Internet play for America’s eco-
nomic growth and our First Amendment rights to 
speak, the United States should adopt a clear policy 
endorsing the open nature of Internet communica-
tions and freely accessible broadband networks. 
SEC. 3. POLICY. 
It is the policy of the United States— 
(1) to maintain the freedom to use broadband 
telecommunications networks, including the Internet, 
without interference from network operators, as has 
been the policy for Internet commerce and the basis 
for user expectations since its inception; 
(2) to ensure that the Internet, and its succes-
sors, remain a vital force in the United States econ-
omy, thereby enabling the country to preserve its 
global leadership in online commerce and techno-
logical innovation; 
(3) to preserve and promote the open and inter-
connected nature of broadband networks that enable 
consumers to reach, and service providers to offer, 
lawful content, applications, and services of their 
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choosing, using their selection of devices that do not 
harm the network; 
(4) to encourage escalating broadband trans-
mission speeds and capabilities that reflect the evolv-
ing nature of the broadband networks, including the 
Internet, and improvements in access technology, 
which enables consumers to use and enjoy, and serv-
ice providers to offer, a growing array of content, 
applications, and services; 
(5) to provide for disclosure by broadband net-
work operators of prices, terms, and conditions, and 
other relevant information, including information 
about the technical capabilities of broadband access 
provided to users, to inform their choices about serv-
ices they rely on to communicate and to detect prob-
lems; and 
(6) to ensure vigorous and prompt enforcement 
of this Act’s requirements to safeguard and promote 
competition, innovation, market certainty, and con-
sumer empowerment. 
SEC. 4. NET NEUTRALITY SAFEGUARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each broadband network provider 
has the duty to— 
(1) enable users to utilize their broadband serv-
ice to access all lawful content, applications, and 
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services available over broadband networks, includ-
ing the Internet; 
(2) not block, impair, degrade, discriminate 
against, or interfere with the ability of any person 
to utilize their broadband service to— 
(A) access, use, send, receive, or offer law-
ful content, applications, or services over 
broadband networks, including the Internet; or 
(B) attach any device to the provider’s net-
work and utilize such device in connection with 
broadband service, provided that any such de-
vice does not physically damage, or materially 
degrade other subscribers’ use of, the network; 
(3) clearly and conspicuously disclose to users, 
in plain language, accurate information about the 
speed, nature, and limitations of their broadband 
service; 
(4) offer, upon reasonable request to any per-
son, a broadband service for use by such person to 
offer or access unaffiliated content, applications, and 
services; 
(5) not discriminate in favor of itself in the al-
location, use, or quality of broadband services or 
interconnection with other broadband networks; 
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