A divided federal appeals court in the District of Columbia has upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rules. The Washington Post reports that a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected challenges to the rules.

The rules require broadband service providers to treat all content and Internet traffic equally, regardless of the source.

“The court’s 180-plus-page decision in U.S. Telecom Association v. FCC is a major victory for the Obama administration, which had pressed for the rules,” the report notes. “The industry and other groups that challenged the rule will surely seek certiorari in the Supreme Court, but high court review is not guaranteed.”

The report adds: “The petitioners had challenged the rule on statutory, procedural and constitutional grounds, but none of their arguments persuaded a majority of the panel. According to the FCC, the rule is necessary to prevent broadband providers from discriminating against specific types of content or content providers. Among other things, it prevents content providers from paying service providers to prioritize their content.”

Opponents of the rule argue that it could stifle investment and innovation in the broadband industry.