AT&T joins net neutrality demonstration despite pushing for repeal of FCC rules

AT&T announced on Tuesday that it would be joining a demonstration to protect net neutrality, despite having unsuccessfully sued to get rid of the Federal Communications Commission rules that activists are rallying to protect.

The telecom giant said it plans to participate in Wednesday’s net neutrality “day of action,” an online demonstration protesting FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s effort to dismantle the Obama-era rules, which require internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally.

AT&T has been a staunch supporter of Pai’s push to kill the regulations, arguing that the FCC overreached by reclassifying internet service providers as common carriers.

{mosads}In a blog post on Tuesday, Bob Quinn, AT&T’s vice president of regulatory affairs, maintained that the company supports the principles of net neutrality, but not the current FCC rules. Instead, Quinn argued, Congress should pass legislation that would codify net neutrality.

“Tomorrow, AT&T will join the ‘Day of Action’ for preserving and advancing an open internet,” Quinn wrote. “This may seem like an anomaly to many people who might question why AT&T is joining with those who have differing viewpoints on how to ensure an open and free internet.”

“But that’s exactly the point — we all agree that an open internet is critical for ensuring freedom of expression and a free flow of ideas and commerce in the United States and around the world,” he continued. “We agree that no company should be allowed to block content or throttle the download speeds of content in a discriminatory manner.”

The move is sure to raise eyebrows among the dozens of internet companies and activists participating in the day of action in order to preserve the FCC rules.

Evan Greer, campaign director at Fight for the Future and one of the organizers of the protest, slammed AT&T’s announcement.

“I have to admit, this is so ridiculous I’m laughing out loud,” Greer said in a statement to The Hill.

“AT&T and other companies like Comcast and Verizon have waged an all out war on net neutrality protections, because they want to be able to charge Internet users and startups extra fees, and squeeze all of us for more money for less Internet.”

“AT&T are lying when they say they support net neutrality, while actively opposing it,” she added. “If they want to support the Title II protections that we have now, which prevent them from shaking down websites for extra fees as part of ‘paid prioritization’ schemes, we’d be glad to have them as part of this protest. Until then, they’re just making noise to continue their campaign of misinformation.”

– This story was updated at 2:14 p.m.