Montana makes a fast play for net neutrality
While the California legislature is just beginning work on a network neutrality revival, Montana has already put its own version into effect. Montana governor Steve Bullock issued an executive order on Monday that bakes net neutrality rules into state contracting requirements.
If any company wants to sell telecommunications to the State of Montana it has to publicly disclose its network traffic management policies and other terms of service. Providers cannot:
- Block lawful content, applications, services, or nonharmful devices, subject to reasonable network management that is disclosed to the consumer;
- Throttle, impair or degrade lawful internet traffic on the basis ofinternet content, application, or service, or use of a nonharmful device, subject to reasonable network management that is disclosed to the consumer;
- Engage in paid prioritization; or
- Unreasonably interfere with or unreasonably disadvantage: a.