Rosenworcel Ties Public Safety With Net Neutrality

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized restoration of net neutrality rules to ensure public safety, during a Monday visit to the Santa Clara County, California, Fire Department. The fire department accused Verizon of throttling its service during the Mendocino Complex Fire (see 1808220059). "When firefighters are going into dangerous environments, they want to know that they have an internet that they can count on," Rosenworcel said. Although states like California have "stepped in and built their own net neutrality laws" since the commission's previous rules were repealed, it's "time that we have a national policy of internet openness," Rosenworcel said: "I think in the aftermath of the pandemic, making sure that there's a watchdog for the broadband connections we all count on, is the right thing to do."