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AT&T, along with CenturyLink (News - Alert) and USTelecom, is looking to block key components of the net neutrality orders. Why?

“USTelecom and its broadband provider partners urge the FCC (News - Alert) to stay the provisions of the open Internet order that would directly impact consumers, specifically, imposition of common carrier obligations that will increase costs and chill development of new and innovative services," said USTelecom (News - Alert) President Walter McCormick in a press statement.

To clarify, the companies are seeking the reclassification of Internet access, citing a “wrong approach” to defining the standards.

"We seek a partial stay of the order because the commission’s departure from established law threatens consumers and members of our industry with immediate, irreparable harm. Staying the order for a short period under the terms outlined in the petition will pose no risk to the public, and would promote stability and predictability in the broadband marketplace,” said McCormick.

The biggest reason, according to reports, is that the providers fear this will make it more difficult to charge network operators for direct connection to their networks.

"The order claims FCC control over peering agreements involving broadband Internet access providers, inserting the FCC into Internet peering for the first time," USTelecom said in its announcement. "This claim of control raises concerns that this area of the Internet would be subject to governmental delays and second guessing, harming investment and innovation. Since the order was adopted, some companies have already threatened to initiate FCC enforcement actions to achieve peering arrangements favorable to them, no matter what the balance of traffic is between providers. In the past, agreements were negotiated party-to-party without any government involvement."

The petitioners said the Title II common carrier obligations, and the newly created Internet conduct standard that would allow the FCC to decide what new services carriers could offer.

The requests are expected to be rejected by the FCC, but it has given the industry pause by asking the courts to halt implementation of the rules while they are being contested.

The new regulations will be going into effect on June 12.