The US Department of Justice (DoJ) dropped a lawsuit seeking to block a California law providing net neutrality protections, signalling a political shift on a key issue for operators.

State congressional officials pressed the DoJ for action in January, citing widespread support for open internet protections among the public. The DoJ sued in October 2018, objecting to California passing its own net neutrality regulations following the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) decision to scrap nationwide rules in December 2017.

Telecom industry groups CTIA, USTelecom, NCTA and the American Cable Association filed a separate challenge shortly after: that case remains active.

Acting FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel applauded the DoJ move, stating it was “listening to the American people, who overwhelmingly support an open internet, and is charting a course to once again make net neutrality the law of the land”.

Rosenworcel opposed the FCC’s repeal of open internet protections, but any immediate attempt to restore them would likely be difficult because the five-person commission is currently short a member and so deadlocked along political lines.