[opendtv] More on Verizon & Google

  • From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:55:54 -0500

Looks like Dale started a landslide.

I didn't find much worth noting yesterday, and still don't with this analysis, 
but I have to confess that I'm chuckling over the prospect of these two 
pretending like they are doing the FCC's job for them. This particular FCC must 
feel awfully rankled by such brazen attitude on the part of others than itself.

Bert

--------------------------------
http://www.rethink-wireless.com/2010/08/11/google-verizon-exclude-mobile-neutrality.htm

Google and Verizon exclude mobile from neutrality
Set out four-point plan, sidelining FCC, but wireless broadband is an exception
By CAROLINE GABRIEL

Published: 11 August, 2010

In all the past few days' saga about US net neutrality, the cancelled FCC plans 
and rumored backdoor deals, one outcome is increasingly clear - that there will 
have to be different rules for the mobile web. This has been considered 
inevitable by most analysts, because of the constraints on wireless bandwidth, 
and now it has been made explicit by the companies who have snatched the lead 
in defining US policy from the regulators, Google and Verizon.

The unlikely allies have excluded mobile broadband services from their proposed 
legal framework for net neutrality. In a policy document they drew up jointly 
for US lawmakers, they stated: "Wireless broadband is different from the 
traditional wireline world... In recognition of the still nascent nature of the 
wireless broadband marketplace, under this proposal we would not now apply most 
of the wireline principles to wireless."

Instead, the proposal outlines four key areas where neutrality regulation would 
apply - ensuring consumers can access any content from any device; no 
prioritization of certain classes of internet traffic; network management best 
practise; and transparency laws that would require ISPs to "disclose accurate 
and relevant information in plain language".

But the companies go on to say that only the fourth of these rules, on 
transparency, would apply to mobile services "at this time".

The statements and filings from the telco and its former antagonist at least 
calmed speculation that the two firms had done a behind-the-scenes deal to 
prioritize Google traffic over Verizon's networks, including its forthcoming 
LTE system. Indeed, the proposals suggest a fine of up to $2m on providers that 
knowingly discriminate in favour of certain content or partners.

The companies, which are largely usurping the role of the FCC, threw the agency 
a sop in the form of a recommendation that it should have "exclusive authority 
to oversee broadband internet access service" but added that it would not 
extend that power to "online applications, content or services". The FCC was 
not mollified, and said in a statement: "Some will claim this announcement 
moves the discussion forward; that's one of its many problems."
 
 
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