National Cable & Telecommunications Assn., Inc. v. Gulf Power Co., 534 U.S. 327, 11 (2002)

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Cite as: 534 U. S. 327 (2002)

Opinion of the Court

tion of Internet services—that is, whether these services are "cable service," § 224(d)(3), or "telecommunications services," § 224(e)(1). It held that they are neither. By contrast, we hold that §§ 224(d) and (e) work no limitation on §§ 224(a)(4) and (b); for this reason, and because we granted certiorari only to determine the scope of the latter provisions, we need not decide the scope of the former.

The FCC had to go a step further, because once it decided that it had jurisdiction over attachments providing commingled services, it then had to set a just and reasonable rate. Again, no rate challenge is before us, but we note that the FCC proceeded in a sensible fashion. It first decided that Internet services are not telecommunications services:

"Several commentators suggested that cable operators providing Internet service should be required to pay the Section 224(e) telecommunications rate. We disagree. . . . Under [our] precedent, a cable television system providing Internet service over a commingled facility is not a telecommunications carrier subject to the revised rate mandated by Section 224(e) by virtue of providing Internet service." 13 FCC Rcd., at 6794- 6795 (footnotes omitted).

After deciding Internet services are not telecommunications services, the FCC then found that it did not need to decide whether they are cable services:

"Regardless of whether such commingled services constitute 'solely cable services' under Section 224(d)(3), we believe that the subsection (d) rate should apply. If the provision of such services over a cable television system is a 'cable service' under Section 224(d)(3), then the rate encompassed by that section would clearly apply. Even if the provision of Internet service over a cable television system is deemed to be neither 'cable service' nor 'telecommunications service' under the existing definitions, the Commission is still obligated under Sec-

337

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