Resolution 171059

..Title Urging the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress, and all relevant federal offices to continue to protect net neutrality and open Internet access. ..Body WHEREAS, High-speed Internet access service, referred to generically as "broadband advanced communication services," including both wired and wireless technologies, is essential in the 21st century for economic competitiveness and quality of life; and WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia relies on broadband services to communicate with constituents, enable City residents to interact with City services, permit voters to monitor and communicate with elected City leaders and appointed officials; and WHEREAS, Broadband infrastructure is vital to the operation and management of other critical infrastructures, including energy generation systems, the power grid, water supply systems, smart cities, the Internet of Things, public safety and emergency response systems, medical facilities, educational institutions, and libraries; and WHEREAS, Studies confirm that open Internet policies lead to increases in market-driven broadband deployment through the virtuous cycle: open Internet spurs innovation by users and online service providers, which increases the demand for broadband capacity, thus spurring more broadband infrastructure deployment, which in turn promotes additional innovation by users and service providers; and WHEREAS, The provision and maintenance of equitable access to technology, broadband Internet access services, digital content, and classroom management tools are necessary for all students, teachers, and school administrators in Philadelphia, in order to provide equal educational resources to all students at all education levels; and WHEREAS, The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted open Internet rules on February 26, 2015, to protect free expression and innovation on the Internet and to promote investment in the nation's broadband networks; and WHEREAS, Those open Internet rules ensure that consumers and businesses have access to a fast, fair, and open Internet by imposing three bright-line rules: (1) Broadband providers shall not block access to lawful content, applications, services, or nonharmful devices; (2) Broadband providers shall not impair or degrade lawful Internet traffic on the basis of content, application, or service, or use of a nonharmful device; and (3) Broadband providers shall not favor some lawful Internet traffic over other lawful Internet traffic in exchange for consideration of any kind; and WHEREAS, Elimination of open Internet protections for consumers dampens the incentive for ISPs to increase broadband capacity at lower cost and increases the likelihood that ISPs will charge both consumers and content providers for transmission; and WHEREAS, Because the Internet must be a place in which companies, large and small, as well as individual developers, can compete on a level playing field, the Council of the City of Philadelphia supports net neutrality as a principle that underpins a fast, fair, and open Internet for consumers and businesses to ensure equal access to lawful content by prohibiting paid prioritization, throttling, and blocking; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Council respectfully urges the President of the United States and Members of the United States Congress, and all relevant federal offices to continue to protect net neutrality and open Internet access. ..End