The DC Circuit on Thursday denied the request of broadband providers to stay the FCC’s Open Internet rules. The U.S. federal appeals court declined to suspend new Internet traffic regulations, rejecting the telecom industry's request to partially block the implementation of the "net neutrality" rules, which are slated to go into effect on Friday.

"This is a huge victory for Internet consumers and innovators! Starting Friday, there will be a referee on the field to keep the Internet fast, fair and open. Blocking, throttling, pay-for-priority fast lanes and other efforts to come between consumers and the Internet are now things of the past. The rules also give broadband providers the certainty and economic incentive to build fast and competitive broadband networks." said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler

AT&T and cable and wireless industry groups had sought to block the FCC's move to reclassify broadband Internet as a more heavily regulated telecommunications service, and a new broad general conduct standard that prohibits Internet providers from "unreasonably interfering" with consumers' access to the web.

Telecom companies say they do not object to the specific net neutrality rules that prohibit them from blocking and slowing down access to websites and applications.