Internet Policy That Works For Both Sides

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