Administrative-Equal Broadband Access-Digital Discrimination Rule-Regulatory Challenge

A group of telecommunications and broadband industry groups petitioned for review of the final rule issued by the FCC pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which required equal access to broadband services within a provider’s service area. In its final rule, the FCC adopted two theories of liability: disparate treatment and disparate impact. The industry petitioners sought to challenge the disparate impact portion of the rule, arguing that it covered entities other than internet service providers and that the FCC lacked authority to adopt a burden-shifting framework. A coalition of public interest groups also challenged the rule, arguing that it did not sufficiently combat digital discrimination.   

Where the IIJA’s text only referred to broadband providers and service subscribers, the FCC’s rule exceeded the scope of authority conferred by the statute by declining to exclude any other parties from the scope of the rule. 

Petitions are granted in part and denied in part. 

Minnesota Telecom Alliance v. Federal Communications Commission (MLW No. 84729/Case No. 24-1179, 24-1183, 24-1301, 24-1304, 24-1309, 24-1315, 24-1317, 24-1319, 24-1354, 24-1362, 24-1364, 24-1376, 24-1378, 24-1411, 24-1444, & 24-1509 – 49 pages) (U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit, Loken, J.) Petition for review of an order of the Federal Communications Commission. (Marc P. Epstein, Washington, D.C. and Morgan Ratner, Washington, D.C. for petitioners; Andrew Jay Schwartzman, Washington, D.C.; David Ryan Brody, Washington, D.C.; Alizeh Ahmad, Washington, D.C.; Edward G. Caspar, Washington, D.C.; Jennifer B. Dickey, Washington, D.C.; Kevin R. Palmer, Washington, D.C.; Jeffrey B. Wall, Washington, D.C.; Zoe A. Jacoby, Washington, D.C.; Connie L. Wang, Palo Alto, CA; Roman Martinez, Washington, D.C.; Matthew A. Brill, Washington, D.C.; Blake E. Stafford, Washington, D.C.; Thomas Scott Thompson, Washington, D.C.; Michael H. Pryor, Washington, D.C.; David B. Meschke, Denver, CO; Rosa L. Baum, Denver, CO; Thomas M. Johnson Jr., Washington, D.C.; Jeremy Joseph Broggi, Washington, D.C.; Michael J. Showalter, Arlington, VA; Boyd Garriott, Washington, D.C.; William Turner, Washington, D.C.; Jeffrey Alan Lamken, Washington, D.C.; Rayiner I. Hashem, Washington, D.C.; and Stephen E. Coran, Washington, D.C. on the briefs) (Jacob Matthew Lewis, Deputy General Counsel, Washington, D.C. for respondents; Robert Nicholson, USDOJ, Washington, D.C.; Robert J. Wiggers, USDOJ, Washington, D.C.; and William Scher, Washington, D.C. on the brief)