The Internet Association, whose members includes Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Twitter among three dozen other companies, called for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to keep the Internet open this week.
The FCC's public comment period regarding net neutrality ended on Tuesday. To date, the commission has received more than 677,000 comments filed through the agency's electronic system and Open Internet e-mail comment box.
The agency has sought to adopt new rules and guidelines regarding net neutrality since a federal court dismissed the existing rules in January. But Internet supporters argued there was no need for rules, since the Web has enough speed and bandwidth for everybody.
"Since the Clinton administration, policymakers' light-touch approach has allowed flexibility and competition to spur incredible innovation and investment in broadband and wireless," Kathleen Grillo, Verizon Senior Vice President for Federal Regulatory Affairs, wrote in the FCC's public comment box, according to USA Today.
The Internet Association is part of the majority that expressed their concerns over the potentials of having "fast lanes" online. This came to light after Netflix paid Comcast and Verizon to connect the streaming service directly to the ISPs to get faster streaming speeds for customers.
"Segregation of the Internet into fast lanes and slow lanes will distort the market, discourage innovation and harm Internet users," said Michael Beckerman, president of the Internet Association. "The FCC must act to create strong, enforceable net neutrality rules and apply them equally to both wireless and wire-line providers."
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said authorizing fast lanes were excluded in the new rules. He also clarified the goal of the commission was to determine whether paid prioritization of Internet traffic should be banned or retained.
Meanwhile, The Guardian reported the FCC extended the deadline for comments until midnight on Friday, after people complained about difficulties on using the electronic comment filing system.
