The Well - The Stagwell Group

Earlier this month, the DC Court of Appeals vacated an FCC rule that had sought to prevent states from passing their own net neutrality laws, paving the way for California to pass its state-level net neutrality bill. What would a state-level bill like this mean for brands? This shifts the battle to the states. Companies now need to prioritize if, when, and how they fight this legislation. Supporters of the measure are already mobilizing, and companies now need to do the same. Much like privacy legislation, a patchwork of state laws on net neutrality will create confusion and cause many businesses- large and small- to comply with multiple regulations across state lines. With this increased compliance and regulation, costs will be passed on to the consumer. In August, the DC Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC could not exempt 5G cell sites from facing environmental and historical preservation reviews. How does this ruling affect the timeline for 5G deployment? 5G deployment is an inherently local issue and requires approval from city and county governments. However, delays caused by these reviews only further postpones its rollout. They could even have long-term effects by causing companies to delay investment or selectively choose where they deploy their resources. And, as with anything requiring local government review, it allows these bodies to extract fees and other short-term costs from companies, discouraging long-term investment. How will 5G impact net neutrality, and what will this mean for brands and marketers? 5G knows no border. Data travels across state lines at lightning speeds. 5G operators can’t effectively manage Internet traffic across state lines with a patchwork of different new neutrality rules. State based laws will undercut the benefits of 5G, hurting consumers and policymakers who expect faster speeds and new services.