The FTC can gun for AT&T once again, according to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which says the agency has the purview to regulate large internet service providers. The case reaches way back to 2014 when the FTC first sued AT&T over throttling users' mobile data speeds without properly informing them. AT&T pushed back against the agency's claims and scored an early win in court. The FTC, however, challenged the earlier court's decision. The FCC, at one point, levied a fine of $100 million against AT&T over the issue, though that fee was never collected as the appeal worked its way through the court. "The decision is a significant win for American consumers," noted FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. "Among other things, it reaffirms that the Federal Trade Commission will once again be able to police internet service providers after the Restoring Internet Freedom Order takes effect." Pai believes the FTC, not the FCC, should govern internet service providers' behavior.


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