The Federal Communication Commission has asked a federal judge to dismiss the lawsuits concerning net neutrality filed against it by MetroPCS and Verizon Wireless. Both MetroPCS and Verizon sued the FCC over its proposed net neutrality regulations, which they say exceed the FCC’s jurisdiction. They are seeking to prevent the FCC from passing the proposed laws. The FCC argues, “The Court should dismiss MetroPCS’s notice of appeal because it was filed prior to publication of the Open Internet Order in the Federal Register and is thus jurisdictionally barred.” The technicality means the lawsuits are invalid, though Verizon and MetroPCS claim there is an exception to standard procedure when proposed rules will have a direct effect on specific parties. In December 2010, the FCC published a number of rules to be used in governing both wired and wireless broadband networks.
