Prior to the FCC repealing the net neutrality rules, AT&T came forward with a statement claiming that regardless of the outcome, nothing will change in terms of how the company operates. This was meant to reassure customers that AT&T will not start charging more for certain features or access that should otherwise have remained “neutrally priced”.Now AT&T is taking their commitment to customers one step further, with the company’s chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson penning an open letter in which he proposes that there should be an “Internet Bill of Rights” for consumers. Basically this proposal wants the government to put into place a rule that makes the practices of internet companies more transparent, protect consumer rights, and also ensures consistent rules applied across the board.
Stephenson mentions how as more things in our daily lives become connected, having predictable rules will help keep things moving forwards. “In the very near future, technological advances like self-driving cars, remote surgery and augmented reality will demand even greater performance from the internet. Without predictable rules for how the internet works, it will be difficult to meet the demands of these new technology advances.”
The point about consistent and predictable rules is interesting, especially in the face of how states like Montana and New York are implementing their own net neutrality rules, which while well-intentioned could result in some confusion in the way companies operate. In the meantime fast food giant Burger King has also weighed in on the topic with an ad of their own that explains net neutrality in terms of burgers.