Last week in Washington D.C., the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted 2-1 to rollback net neutrality rules under Title II of the Communications Act. In the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), it’s proposed that the Title II classification be superseded by new regulations.

Currently, Title II makes it illegal for an Internet service provider (ISP) to block or slow down websites for consumers. Net neutrality advocates fear that without these laws in place, larger companies may harm consumers and startups with fast-lanes/throttling and bundled content, among other uncompetitive practices.

There’s still time to save the Internet

If you agree with us that the Internet deserves to be free and open, perhaps you also agree that it deserves saving from Ajit Pai’s proposal to rollback net neutrality laws that the previous FCC leadership put in place. Repealing these protections would potentially hand control of the Internet to major telecommunications companies. You may be wondering what can be done to prevent this from happening. Defeatists may say it’s too late. It’s not. Yet.

On Dec 14, it will be put to a final vote in the FCC’s open meeting.

Here are five things you can do right now to have your voice heard.

Net neutrality under fire

Net neutrality protections are under serious threat, but there’s still time to save the Internet.

As foreshadowed for several months, and widely reported this past week, FCC chairman Ajit Pai has announced his plan to undo Title II classification of Internet service providers (read the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking). Popularly referred to as net neutrality, the rules were broadly aimed at leveling the playing field for Internet companies. Having become law in 2015 under former FCC chair Tom Wheeler, Title II classification protects not only online competition and innovation, but free speech, privacy and the delivery of content without interference by monopolistic ISPs.

Ajit Pai considers net neutrality protections under the FCC unnecessary and says he plans to hand regulatory jurisdiction of broadband providers back to the Federal Trade Commission, despite arguments that the FTC is not prepared to adequately handle the responsibility.

Ting, along with everyone that loves the Internet and believes that it’s an agent for positive change, stands strongly opposed to recent moves by Congress to erase broadband privacy protections.

Ting was among the signatories on the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) letter urging Congress to preserve FCC broadband Internet end user privacy protection rules and vote down plans to abolish them.

Yesterday, despite a public outcry, the House of Representatives voted 215 to 205 to do away with the FCC’s rules. These rules demanded that, among other things, an Internet service provider had to have permission before it could share a user’s personal information.

The Ting Video Team is always looking for interesting ways to showcase Ting Internet towns. Last time, they rented a hot air balloon. This time, while shooting a commercial in Centennial, Colorado, they enjoyed the experience of flying over the mountains in a chopper. For some of the team, the helicopter ride was an experience that can now be crossed off the ol’ bucket list.

Check out the breathtaking scenery they endured below-freezing temps to capture on film!

Incumbents are taking notice in some Ting towns. What’s to stop them trying to lay fiber and compete on a more even playing field?

Elliot Noss, CEO of Tucows, has a few thoughts on the fiber first-mover advantage. While there aren’t many others doing what we’re doing right now, there’s plenty of room for growth and competition.