After reading Tim Wu's, "The Broadband Debate: A User's Guide" which appears in the "Journal of Telecommunications and High Technology Law", I realized several points I'd like to share.
SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=557330
"The telecommunication industry has a recent track record of terrible judgment and even outright fraud." On the other hand, those in favor of deregulation and supporters of net neutrality who are divided along many issues, share a common belief in innovation as the basis of economic growth.
Can both sides surrender to common idealized models of either government or powerful private entities? Or will we all come to the realization that both government and the private sector have an unhappy record of blocking the new in favor of the old, and that such tendencies are likely to continue?
As FCC Commissioner Michael Copps puts it: “From its inception, the Internet was designed, as those present during the course of it creation will tell you, to prevent government or a corporation or anyone else from controlling it. It was designed to defeat discrimination against users, ideas and technologies.”
But what would happen if both those who are against regulation and proponents of an open internet remember their common dedication to a single principle: free and unmediated market entry? Could it be that by turning to such a point of consensus that reconciliation of a mutually beneficial communications policy could begin?
Neither those opposing regulation nor those supporting an open internet should have reason to oppose network neutrality rules that create rights for users to use the applications or equipment of their choice. But at the same time create rights of operators to enter the application market, free of government hindrance; therefore, limited network neutrality rules should be attractive to both sides.
For more information visit http://www.speedmatters.org
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Saturday, April 7, 2007
The U.S. Needs A Cohesive National Strategy
"Peter Morici, an economist and a business professor at the University of Maryland, agreed the regulatory environment in the United States needs to be improved. He cited as an example how U.S. communications companies face stifling layers of federal and state regulations." “But he also said the network providers need to get the Internet infrastructure to operate faster instead of worrying about protecting their businesses from competitors.”
“We haven’t gone backward, we’re just not moving forward,” said Morici. “We haven’t adequately built out our competitive technologies, and other countries are moving ahead. Unfortunately, it’s in the hands of cable and telecom companies. They’re not always forward-looking companies.”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/29/BUG41OTHE71.DTL&a amp;type=tech
Almost every other developed country has a cohesive and comprehensive national strategy to stimulate the deployment of high speed broadband by establishing specific goals and policies. In the U.S. there isn’t a systematic or organized plan. The U.S. should develop a systematic plan, because the current policy vacuum threatens America’s ability to maintain leadership in high technology and applications.
The United States, which topped the World Economic Forum’s “networked readiness index” in 2006, slipped to seventh. The study, out Wednesday, largely blamed increased political and corporate interference in the judicial system.
http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8O58PMG0.html
How can the U.S. remain competitive with other economies that have already adopted policies that facilitate job growth, business advancement, and individual achievement through access to information and markets?
www.speedmatters.org.
“We haven’t gone backward, we’re just not moving forward,” said Morici. “We haven’t adequately built out our competitive technologies, and other countries are moving ahead. Unfortunately, it’s in the hands of cable and telecom companies. They’re not always forward-looking companies.”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/03/29/BUG41OTHE71.DTL&a amp;type=tech
Almost every other developed country has a cohesive and comprehensive national strategy to stimulate the deployment of high speed broadband by establishing specific goals and policies. In the U.S. there isn’t a systematic or organized plan. The U.S. should develop a systematic plan, because the current policy vacuum threatens America’s ability to maintain leadership in high technology and applications.
The United States, which topped the World Economic Forum’s “networked readiness index” in 2006, slipped to seventh. The study, out Wednesday, largely blamed increased political and corporate interference in the judicial system.
http://www.salon.com/wire/ap/archive.html?wire=D8O58PMG0.html
How can the U.S. remain competitive with other economies that have already adopted policies that facilitate job growth, business advancement, and individual achievement through access to information and markets?
www.speedmatters.org.
Fighting Back Against Verizon's Sneak Attack on Virginia
Posted by Speed Matters team April 3, 2007
Virginia's communications consumers are at risk of losing one of their most important protections. The Communications Workers of America are standing up to try and stop this corporate attack on consumer rights.
We reported a few weeks ago about SB1143, a dangerous bill moving through the Virginia legislature. Thanks to intense lobbying from Verizon, the legislature approved a bill that would revoke the State Corporation Commission's ability to scrutinize mergers in the telephone industry. The SCC's traditional role is to examine the sale or transfer of telephone companies, and ensure that the transaction is in the public interest, for customers and employees alike. The recently-passed bill would eliminate that oversight, leaving companies like Verizon less accountable to Virginians.
This week, Gov. Tim Kaine vetoed the bill, setting up another legislative battle. The CWA is actively organizing members and supporters to help sustain the veto. Chris Lane, president of Local 2201, praised the efforts of the bill’s opponents, who encouraged Kaine’s veto and raised awareness about the bill in communities across the state. Said Lane:
"We're not taking any chances and will be working hard through next week, but our success so far in stopping this sneak attack by Verizon is all that workers here are talking about."
Government oversight is essential to ensuring that the vital telecommunications industry is responsive, fair, and serving the needs of Virginia’s citizens. Verizon and its allies tried to sneak this bill through, but Gov. Kaine deserves credit for standing up against it. As Gov. Kaine noted:
"Access to telephone service continues to be vital for residents across the Commonwealth, and it is imperative that we act reasonably to ensure that this access is not diminished."
Here’s CWA’S radio ad on this important issue.
If you live in Virginia, contact your state legislators, and tell them they need to stand with Virginia's consumers and workers, not with lobbyists. Virginia needs them to uphold Gov. Kaine's veto.
Links
CWA: Fighting Back Against Verizon's Sneak Attack
SpeedMatters: Verizon's Virginia Sneak Attack
Virginia's communications consumers are at risk of losing one of their most important protections. The Communications Workers of America are standing up to try and stop this corporate attack on consumer rights.
We reported a few weeks ago about SB1143, a dangerous bill moving through the Virginia legislature. Thanks to intense lobbying from Verizon, the legislature approved a bill that would revoke the State Corporation Commission's ability to scrutinize mergers in the telephone industry. The SCC's traditional role is to examine the sale or transfer of telephone companies, and ensure that the transaction is in the public interest, for customers and employees alike. The recently-passed bill would eliminate that oversight, leaving companies like Verizon less accountable to Virginians.
This week, Gov. Tim Kaine vetoed the bill, setting up another legislative battle. The CWA is actively organizing members and supporters to help sustain the veto. Chris Lane, president of Local 2201, praised the efforts of the bill’s opponents, who encouraged Kaine’s veto and raised awareness about the bill in communities across the state. Said Lane:
"We're not taking any chances and will be working hard through next week, but our success so far in stopping this sneak attack by Verizon is all that workers here are talking about."
Government oversight is essential to ensuring that the vital telecommunications industry is responsive, fair, and serving the needs of Virginia’s citizens. Verizon and its allies tried to sneak this bill through, but Gov. Kaine deserves credit for standing up against it. As Gov. Kaine noted:
"Access to telephone service continues to be vital for residents across the Commonwealth, and it is imperative that we act reasonably to ensure that this access is not diminished."
Here’s CWA’S radio ad on this important issue.
If you live in Virginia, contact your state legislators, and tell them they need to stand with Virginia's consumers and workers, not with lobbyists. Virginia needs them to uphold Gov. Kaine's veto.
Links
CWA: Fighting Back Against Verizon's Sneak Attack
SpeedMatters: Verizon's Virginia Sneak Attack
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