US Telecom files suit against government's new Internet rules

New York: A legal fight against the Federal Communications Commission's new Internet traffic rules has begun.

The rules were voted on in February and uphold the principle of net neutrality that online content be allowed to load at the same speed. They forbid paid fast lanes favoring some content and say broadband providers can't slow Web traffic or block content.

They were published today in the government's Federal Register and would go into effect on June 12 if a court doesn't block them.

The United States Telecom Association, an industry group that represents companies including AT&T and Verizon, says it has filed suit against the rules in the US Court of Appeals for District of Columbia.