The U.S. government has asked the Supreme Court to reverse an appeals court ruling that could lead to heavier regulation of cable companies' high-speed Internet service.
Officials asked the high court to overturn a federal appeals court in San Francisco, which ruled that cable broadband should be classified as a telecommunications service rather than a more lightly regulated information service, the Federal Communications Commission said.
The appeal was filed Friday by the FCC and the acting solicitor general of the United States.
"Applying taxes, regulations and concepts from a century ago to today's cutting-edge services will only stifle innovation and competition," FCC Chairman Michael Powell said in a statement Monday.
"A successful appeal of this case would ultimately mean lower prices and better service for American consumers," said Powell.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled last October that the FCC should have classified cable broadband as a telecommunications service.
In April the San Francisco court refused to reconsider its decision.
If the FCC labeled cable broadband as a telecommunications service, cable companies would likely have to let consumers choose a rival Internet service provider unless the FCC affirmatively declared otherwise.
The FCC decided in March 2002 that high-speed Internet service from cable companies was an information service and therefore not immediately subject to requirements that rivals have access to their networks.
The Supreme Court is expected to decide by the end of the year whether to hear the government's appeal.