WASHINGTON, April 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. telecom

industry opposes the Federal Communications Commission plan to

reinstate landmark net neutrality rules that were repealed in

2017 under President Donald Trump.

Net neutrality rules bar internet service providers from

blocking or throttling traffic or offering paid fast lanes.

USTelecom CEO Jonathan Spalter of the group, whose members

include AT&T ( T ), Verizon, SpaceX and others, called

the effort "entirely counterproductive, unnecessary, and an

anti-consumer regulatory distraction."

NCTA - The Internet & Television Association, representing

major internet service providers including Comcast ( CMCSA ),

said the plan would "seriously jeopardize our nation's

collective efforts to build and sustain reliable broadband in

rural and unserved communities," and said it would result in

"years of litigation and uncertainty."

Reuters first reported the FCC's plan to vote on April 25.

The commission wants to assume new regulatory oversight of

broadband internet that was rescinded under Trump, FCC Chair

Jessica Rosenworcel told Reuters Tuesday.

Reinstatement of the rules has been a priority of Democratic

President Joe Biden.

The Computer & Communications Industry Association, whose

members include Amazon.com ( AMZN ), Apple ( AAPL ), Alphabet

and Meta Platforms ( META ), in December backed

reinstatement, arguing that the rules "must be reinstated to

preserve open access to the internet."

Republican Senator Ted Cruz said Wednesday said net

neutrality rules "will raise prices, crowd out innovation,

undermine broadband deployment, and benefit no one except the

overbearing Biden FCC in its never-ending efforts to control the

internet."

Democratic Senator Ed Markey said reinstating "net

neutrality protections is vital to protecting the free and open

internet and ensuring the FCC has authority over broadband."