Nearly one week since the FCC (News - Alert) announced a formal proposal for a free and open Internet that isn’t limited by device, telecom companies are weighing forthcoming regulations – and how such regulations could impact their businesses.
The FCC, which first announced the ‘net neutrality’ proposal in September before refining it for an Oct. 23 meeting, said it will welcome comments, especially suggestions on how the commission should handle managed services, such as video and voice. The deadline for comments on the proposal is Jan. 14, 2010.
Doug Makishima (News - Alert), vice president of marketing for D2 Technologies, which creates mobile unified communications technology for emerging platforms, said the FCC’s proposal is a good thing.
“Anything that makes Internet connections more available at a lower cost will spur the use of IP communications technology,” Makishima told TMCnet. “Our view is that this is definitely a good thing, a boon to moving communications to IP communications.”
Ahead of last week’s FCC commissioner vote on the proposal, Lowell McAdam, CEO of Verizon Wireless and Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google (News - Alert) issued a joint statement on Verizon’s policy blog that emphasized the things both companies agreed upon, in terms of how the final rule should look:
“While it’s true we do disagree quite strongly about certain aspects of government policy in this area -- such as whether mobile networks should even be part of the discussion -- there are many issues on which we agree. For starters we both think it's essential that the Internet remains an unrestricted and open platform--where people can access any content (so long as it’s legal), as well as the services and applications of their choice.”
The proposed draft rules include four existing “Internet freedoms” approved in 2005, plus two new rules on nondiscrimination and transparency – meaning, that the Internet should be free and open regardless of device. The FCC also emphasized in its Oct. 23 meeting that all six rules are subject to “reasonable network management.”
Marisa Torrieri is a TMCnet Web editor, covering IP hardware and mobility, including IP phones, smartphones, fixed-mobile convergence and satellite technology. She also compiles and regularly contributes to TMCnet's gadgets and satellite e-Newsletters. To read more of Marisa's articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Marisa Torrieri