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11 <br /> <br />Internet service providers would be considered a tier 1 telecommunications company, like <br />telephone companies, and the companies would have to provide service to residents within the <br />United States. He said recently the FCC withdrew this, and made Internet service providers a <br />tier 2 provider, which does not require Internet service to be provided in any way to anyone; it <br />deregulated Internet service. He said this means that if an Internet service provider wants to <br />provide its own content to customers prior to other content, it is now allowed to do so, as net <br />neutrality is no longer in place. <br />Commissioner Rich said there are not many resolutions of this kind, and she said <br />broadband should be a utility. She said this is a long resolution, and the Board agreed by <br />consensus to defer its reading. <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE <br />PRESERVATION OF FEDERAL RULES AND POLICIES PROTECTING NET <br />NEUTRALITY <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Orange County is a hub of high-tech invention and development of <br />technology companies; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Orange County is a critical vertex of the Research Triangle; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Orange County is also home to 150,000 residents who rely on the <br />County to provide essential services such as law enforcement, healthcare, education, <br />assistance for youth and the elderly, and social services; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, established County programs, services, and information require <br />affordable, accessible, and open internet access for the benefit of County residents; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Federal Communications Commission adopted Net Neutrality <br />rules in its 2015 Report and Order In the Matter of Protecting and Promoting the Open <br />Internet, WC Docket No. 14-28, to protect consumers from past and future tactics that <br />threaten the open internet by banning three damaging practices: blocking, throttling, and <br />paid prioritization; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, in its 2015 Report and Order, the Federal Communications <br />Commission reaffirmed its 2010 Transparency rule to ensure that consumers are fully <br />informed about the internet access they are purchasing; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Federal Communications Commission, through its actions on <br />December 14, 2017 in WC Docket No. 17-108; eliminated the principle of Net Neutrality; <br />and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the preservation of Net Neutrality is necessary for the prosperity of <br />the Orange County local economy, including but not limited to startup technology <br />companies, rural businesses, and entrepreneurs; and <br /> <br />WHEREAS, Net Neutrality encourages competition among businesses, fosters <br />innovation, creates jobs, and promotes economic vitality both within Orange County and <br />across the nation; and <br />