Time Warner Cable About To Be Hit With First Net Neutrality Lawsuit

In addition to Time Warner Cable maintaining its reputation as one of the U.S.'s most-hated ISPs, it looks like the company is about to become the first face a lawsuit for violating the FCC's new net neutrality rules. The update rules went into effect roughly a week ago, and now the Washington Post is reporting that one company is preparing to sue TWC for charging them with much higher rates in order to avoid throttled speeds — basically, holding its internet traffic for ransom.

The company filing the complaint is Commercial Network Services (CNS), which owns SunDiegoLive, a website that broadcasts live webcam streams from around San Diego. CNS is accusing TWC of charging them unreasonably high rates to not throttle their data to the point where the videos are nothing but still images. CNS says that by withholding their traffic, they are damaging their business. After all, no one wants to visit a video website without smooth streams.

Among the FCC's net neutrality rules are limitations against paid traffic prioritization, data blocking, and bandwidth throttling, three of the worst obstacles to a fair and open internet. CNS's complaint will have to go before the FCC for them to decide of TWC is in the wrong.

The Washington Post's report includes a response from TWC, which says that they are acting "just and reasonable" per the FCC's rules, as well as "consistent with the practices of all major ISPs and well-established industry standards." The ISP describes CNS as an "edge provider," which is therefore not entitled to "free peering" arrangements that exist between the big corporations.

SOURCE Washington Post