Self-isolation has stressed networks, and no one knows if the FCC can step in

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

As the social distancing efforts push everything from school to socializing into video chat, networks have seen huge surges in traffic — and new anxieties over how digital networks will stand up under the strain. So far, both carriers and the Federal Communications Commission insist that the country’s networks are capable of bearing the strain, particularly given the voluntary throttling instituted by many of the most bandwidth-heavy services. But recent deregulatory efforts have left the FCC with ambiguous authority over those networks, making it uncertain whether the commission will be able to intervene if federal action is needed.

In a call with reporters Monday, senior FCC officials were optimistic about how the nation’s networks...

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