NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Re: IncumbentNet EU says no to Net Neutrality, would rather believe in Competition. Is Net Neutrality such a bad idea?
At core what we see here -- and compare this to Genachoski's FCC here in the States, too -- is the transformation of the legal apparatus to reflect the establishment of an IncumbentNet. This is the general tendency exhibited in propositions that say let's set a more narrowly tailored set of rules (i.e., the "third way") -- they basically are designed to tell *the incumbents* what to do -- not really *what communications and/or communications policy is about.* (Note also that this is perfectly manageable by -- if only because it reflects a *being managed into place by* -- the incumbents). Seth On Wed, Nov 17, 2010 at 1:06 PM, Sivasubramanian M <isolatedn@gmail.com> wrote: > Hello Lauren, > Neelie Kroes, the commissioner for the E.U.’s digital agenda, said in a > speech in Brussels that European nations will NOT introduce net neutrality > rules to prevent Internet network companies from blocking or prioritizing > certain content. EU would instead rely on guidelines that would stop > anticompetitive behavior by telecom and cable firms and protect consumers. > > http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2010/11/eu_wont_adopt_net_neutrality_l.html?wpisrc=nl_techE.U > I posted this development as a question on LinkedIn and it has drawn some > interesting responses: > http://www.linkedin.com/answers/government-non-profit/government-policy/GOV_GPO/752106-17150723?goback=.ahp > There are strong arguments in support of EU's decision, posted in response > to the question publicly, and some in private. One observation in favour of > this position by EU is that it is responding to extreme [usage patterns and] > 'behaviours' among a class of Internet Users. Another comment is that Net > Neutrality "would lead to massive hijacking of the available resource by > certain content types which would harm the overall use of the net." > But my concern is this: This precedent of indiscriminately following > telecom policy on content discrimination and user differentiation would > eventually lead to a situation where Internet becomes far more > commercialized in tune with the telecom / cable model, at which point > Internet would cease to be what it is. > A comment on Washington Post is more interesting: "If a carrier were to > block Skype, a service Kroes said she uses to call family back home, > consumers would protest." - the problem with this statement is what happens > if traffic is blocked for a more marginal service that competes with Skype? > Customers won't complain and the network operator gets away with it. Take > that a step further, where you have a company like Skype, Google, Yahoo, or > Microsoft who cut deals with providers or network carriers to "favor" their > traffic over others. In a competitive broadband market, with several > choices, competition may prevent such behavior. But most markets don't have > competitive broadband. It's in these markets, where without net neutrality, > people have to take what they get and get hosed in the process." > Would the Net Neutrality proponents agree with any or part of the arguments > in support of the EU postion? > Sivasubramanian M > > http://www.isocmadras.com > facebook: http://is.gd/x8Sh > LinkedIn: http://is.gd/x8U6 > Twitter: http://is.gd/x8Vz > > >