The telecommunications industry association INCOMPAS has filed a lawsuit in federal court to stop the Federal Communications Commission from rolling back net neutrality protections implemented under former President Barack Obama.

In its lawsuit, INCOMPAS argues FCC abandoned its long-standing, bipartisan jurisdiction to ensure an open internet, according to a statement by the association.

"An open internet is the greatest free market policy in the history of the world," INCOMPAS CEO Chip Pickering said. "It has launched a streaming revolution that has saved consumers millions and fueled billions in cloud investments by businesses large and small."

FCC voted 3-2 in 2015 to enact new rules requiring internet service provides—or ISPs—to treat all internet traffic equally. Supports of the decision said such rules were needed to prevent cable companies and other ISPs from charging more for certain content—such as streaming videos—or preventing users from fully accessing some websites and other online content.

Democrats and internet-based companies such as Google generally support "net neutrality," but many Republicans and ISPs oppose the new rules. President Donald Trump appointed net neutrality critic Ajit Pai as FCC chairman in 2017, and later that year he and the other two GOP commissioners voted to repeal the Obama-era rules.

INCOMPAS contends the rules ensured a free and open internet for all users. The group also pointed to the proposed AT&T-Time Warner merger and other similar developments in the marketplace that could leave consumers with few options for internet access.

Large ISPs "desire to gobble up content, rather than creating it from scratch, is a sign that anti-competitive interconnection practices and paid prioritization schemes are on the horizon unless strong net neutrality protections are preserved," Pickering said.

The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C. INCOMPAS is not the only trade group taking FCC to court. The Internet Association filed a motion in January to join a lawsuit bought against the commission to stop the repeal, while groups representing ISPs—such as USTelecom and NCTA—The Internet and Television Association—are asking the courts to uphold the commission's decision. http://bit.ly/2qYJ8Ot

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