Lawmakers: New cable operator should observe net neutrality

Democrats in the New York state Assembly say any broadband provider picked to replace Charter Communications in the state should be required to observe net neutrality.

Twenty-five Democratic lawmakers proposed the idea Monday.

The state recently revoked its approval of Charter's merger with Time Warner Cable Inc. and ordered the company to find a new provider for its more than 2 million New York customers.

The lawmakers say whichever company replaces Charter should be prohibited from altering web speeds or traffic to favor certain sites or apps.

The federal government repealed its net neutrality policy earlier this year, eliminating rules that had prevented providers from slowing down or speeding up service to benefit certain customers.

The state already has a neutrality policy for providers with state contracts.

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