The cable industry can breathe a sigh of relief, as the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that cable companies will not have to share their infrastructure with competing Internet service providers.
In a 6-3 decision, the court overturned a federal court decision that would have forced cable companies to open up their networks to Internet service providers such as Brand X and EarthLink. The majority opinion was written by Justice Clarence Thomas.
The decision will likely not affect consumers immediately, since cable companies have long been exempt from having to share their networks. But ISP supporters believe that over the long term, the decision will hamper competition and will ultimately lead to higher broadband prices for consumers.
