Brian A. Rankin is an Adjunct Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute who focuses on communications and technology issues. He is an attorney with over 30 years of experience practicing law for cable, telecommunications and technology companies. His practice has included regulatory and policy matters, including advocacy before federal, state and local agencies, as well as counsel for business operations, mergers and acquisitions and other transactions.
Mr. Rankin has a J.D. from DePaul University, an M.B.A from the University of Alabama and a B.S. from Illinois State University. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, son and two rescue dogs, and is a life long, die hard Chicago Cubs fan.
Authored by Brian A. Rankin
News
FCC move to impose utility-style regulation on broadband providers vulnerable to legal challenge – CEI paper
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to vote Thursday to impose utility-style regulation on broadband internet access providers under Title II of the…
Blog
Major questions on net neutrality: A new report
- By: Brian A. Rankin
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report, Major Questions on Net Neutrality: A primer on the FCC’s brewing broadband legal fight, analyzes the FCC’s effort…
The FCC regulation web – again
- By: Brian A. Rankin
In a January blog I discussed the needless web of regulation created by the FCC’s classification of broadband as a Title II common carrier…
Spectrum spectacle: Security and competitiveness demand action on spectrum
- By: Brian A. Rankin
We are familiar with the proverb “He who hesitates is lost.” Unfortunately, the United States is hesitating in allocating more spectrum to the marketplace and…
Op-Eds/Articles
National Review
Net Neutrality Trusts Regulation over Markets
- By: Brian A. Rankin
Despite years of investment, innovation, increasing competition, and declining prices under a light-touch regulatory framework, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has reinstated Obama–era net-neutrality rules and…
Wall Street Journal
‘Net Neutrality’ Faces a Stiff Judicial Test
- By: Brian A. Rankin
The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday along partisan lines to reclassify broadband internet access service as a common carrier telecommunications service under Title II of…
The Wall Street Journal
‘Net Neutrality’ Faces a Stiff Judicial Test
- By: Brian A. Rankin
The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday along partisan lines to reclassify broadband internet access service as a common carrier telecommunications service under Title II of…
Studies
Major Questions on Net Neutrality
- By: Brian A. Rankin
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is poised once again to change and classify broadband internet access service (BIAS), the mass market wireline and wireless broadband…
Regulatory Comments
CEI Comments on Safeguarding and Securing the Open Internet
The Competitive Enterprise Institute (“CEI”) respectfully submits these comments in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) adopted on October 19, 2023, in the…