Internet Regulation

Four Scenario's for the regulation of the internet.

Explanation from David Insenberg in his Smart newsletter at http://isen.com/

"Unlike computers, networks are regulated; regulatory initiatives shape the marketplace. There are three usefully distinct regulatory scenarios for Internet connectivity."

Scenario 1: Telco-topia

Market entry is limited to duopoly, perhaps augmented by network access technologies so crippled that they'll always be also-rans, such as Broadband over Powerline and today's wireless options.

Scenario 2: New Entry

Regulation supports new entrants and holds established companies in check; this is the thrust of Rick Whitt and Vint Cerf's proposed Horizontal Leap Forward model legislation based on layers, and it underlies the Powell FCC's focus on multi-modal competition.

Scenario 3: Structural Separation

Approached in countries where broadband is densest and fastest; here the low layers of the network are heavily regulated to be open and inexpensive, while brutal competition rages in the network's upper layers.

Scenario 4: Customer Owned Networks

Technology advances so far so fast that it end-runs all attempts at regulation. Technology improvements make it so easy to set up networks that customers do it themselves."

See also the entries on Customer-Controlled Networks.