Net neutrality: FCC approves plan to govern internet like public utility – as it happened

FCC chairman Tom Wheeler is summing up now.

Commissioner Ajit Pai, who is against both proposals, said: the FCC does not have legal authority to override state decisions.

The FCC does not have the legal authority to override the decisions made by Tennessee and North Carolina. Under the law, it is up to the people of those two states and their elected representatives—not the Commission—to decide whether and to what extent to allow municipalities to operate broadband projects. Today’s Order is therefore unlawful.

This decision violates the constitutional principles that lie at the heart of our system of government. The FCC is treating Tennessee and North Carolina as mere appendages of the federal government rather than the separate sovereigns that they are. For all of these reasons, I dissent.

The main event isn’t until a bit later on, first up is a vote on whether or not to allow the expansion of municipal broadband. Local governments in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Wilson, North Carolina, have built their own fast networks, which has angered cable companies. Under pressure form the cable lobby, state laws have banned them from expanding their service to other communities. The FCC may override the bans.

Dominic went to Chattanooga in the summer this summer, to find out how its fast internet is helping power the city’s economy. Read about it here.

The city is one of the only places on Earth with internet as fast as 1 gigabit per second – about 50 times faster than the US average. Despite Big Cable’s attempt to block the Gig’s expansion plans, money keeps flowing into Chattanooga

This is the view from the press seats in the Reading Room where things might get underway in a few minutes

Proceedings kick-off at 10:30am, and you can watch along live.

The meeting is taking place at the FCC’s bland HQ in DC. Snow has put a dampener on the planned protests/celebrations outside and has also meant the security lines are clogged with people struggling out of coats, hats and scarves. Inside the chatter in mainly about when it is over. The meeting was delayed until 10:30 and people want out! The crowd is a sea of suits (mainly blue or black and presumably mainly lawyers). We are now being asked to take our seats.

What even is net neutrality? Watch this New York Times explainer video to find out

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniacki has joined campaigners and protesters outside the vote.

It may sound a bit boring, and the technical language used in the debate is often impenetrable, but this vote matters.

John Oliver explains in language one can actually understand in this great video

Oliver’s piece was so popular that when it was first published it caused the FCC’s website to crash. Helpfully proving the internet needs help

Good morning and welcome to our live blog coverage of a meeting deciding the future of the internet. Dominic Rushe, our man on the ground in Washington, has written this preview of the historic vote, that will give the regulator the greatest power over the cable industry it has had since the internet went mainstream.

President Obama gave his support to the rules last year, following an online campaign that pitched internet activists and companies including Netflix and Reddit, I Can Has Cheezburger? – weblog home of the Lolcats meme – and online craft market Etsy against Republican leaders and the cable and telecom lobbies.

The meeting kicks off at 10.30am ET.