Network Neutrality: A Research Guide

The conclusion in a research handbook should emphasise the complexity of the problem than trying to claim a one-size-fits-all solution. I have categorised net neutrality into positive and negative (content discrimination) net neutrality indicating the latter as potentially harmful. Blocking content without informing customers appropriately is wrong: if it says ‘Internet service’, it should offer an open Internet (alongside walled gardens if that is expressly advertised as such). The issue of uncontrolled Internet flows versus engineered solutions is central to the question of a ‘free’ versus regulated Internet. A consumer- and citizen-orientated intervention depends on passing regulations to prevent unregulated nontransparent controls exerted over traffic via DPI equipment, whether imposed by ISPs for financial advantage or by governments eager to use this new technology to filter, censor and enforce copyright against their citizens. Unraveling the previous ISP limited liability regime risks removing the efficiency of that approach in permitting the free flow of information for economic and social advantage. These conclusions support a light-touch regulatory regime involving reporting requirements and co-regulation with, as far as is possible, market-based solutions. Solutions may be international as well as local, and international coordination of best practice and knowledge will enable national regulators to keep up with the technology ‘arms race’

International Mobile Roaming - How smart regulation could achieve sustainable improvements in the competitive climate of the European telecom sector.

International roaming has been a frequently debated subject in the European telecom sector lately. While prices on most other mobile services have been reduced by half during the past few years, roaming charges have remained fairly static since the service was first introduced with the birth of GSM. While generating large profits for Europe’s dominating operators, the situation constitutes a restriction to the freedom of movement concept within the EU Internal Market. In June 2006 the EU Commission proposed a regulation by capping prices for roamed voice traffic on both the wholesale and the retail level. Through studies of literature, articles and statistics, and through interviews with the regulators, operators and other experts it has been my ambition to give answers to the following questions: 1. In what direction is the European mobile telecom sector developing? Who are its dominant players today and tomorrow? 2. What role does international roaming play in this development? 3. What are the purposes of the proposed regulation, and how would it change the conditions for effective competition? 4. Could the regulation’s design be modified to better fulfil its purposes? The study shows that the sector through a massive trend of consolidation is developing towards a pan-European service oligopoly, consisting of Vodafone and two strategic alliances formed by some of Europe’s dominating operators. It further shows that international roaming has played an important role in this development by adding to the industry’s already strong network externalities, thus posing a significant problem for Europe’s few remaining independent operators. Low roaming charges has sailed up as the top priority in the lucrative MNC (Multinational Corporations) market segment, making cost efficient supply of roaming services into a key success factor in industry. By reciprocal discount agreements, oligopoly players have the possibility to margin squeeze independents out of this market. Regulation as proposed by the Commission would, by applying a wholesale price cap, reduce the scope for such margin squeezes significantly and thereby evening out the competitive conditions among operators. However, the study draws me to conclude that the competitive climate has not been a major concern of the Commission’s. The EU is in serious need of public support, and the regulation’s design rather points towards that speed and clarity of results have been the top priorities. Such results are ensured by capping prices even on the retail level. In the meanwhile other issues, such as price caps for roamed data traffic and standardized contract procedures, have more or less been left out of the discussion. The general conclusion is that the Commission, by adding a few modifications to its proposed model, could trade short-term populism to achieve sustainable improvements in the competitive climate of the sector. The study includes three recommendations addressed to the Commission: Ad to the model a uniform wholesale price cap on roamed data traffic Ad to the model a uniform duty to provide roaming contracts to all interested parties Give national regulatory authorities the responsibility to independently handle retail issues The study finally argues that regulation of international roaming, if designed to encourage competition in the network sector, has the potential to achieve positive dynamic effects even in upstream (equipment) and downstream (content) markets

Network Neutrality: History, Regulation and Future

Aquest article se centra en el repte global de la política de neutralitat a la Xarxa: podran els governs garantir un accés més gran a Internet encara més ràpid, mentre donen suport a les expectatives dels usuaris i els proveïdors de continguts que la censura i la filtració dels seus continguts es mantinguin a un mínim democràticament i econòmicament necessari? O l'accés obert a Internet es relegarà a un carril comparativament lent, amb carrils ràpids reservats per a serveis de vídeo, telefonia i altres serveis afavorits afiliats als proveïdors de serveis d'accés a Internet? La reglamentació de les comunicacions de telefonia, radiodifusió i Internet (inclòs el comerç electrònic) depèn de les solucions a aquestes preguntes, agrupades en el principi, convertit en eslògan, de "neutralitat a la Xarxa".Este artículo se centra en el reto global de la política de neutralidad en la red: ¿Podrán los gobiernos garantizar un mayor acceso a Internet aún más rápido, mientras apoyan a las expectativas de los usuarios y los proveedores de contenidos de que la censura y la filtración de sus contenidos se mantengan a un mínimo democrática y económicamente necesario? O ¿el acceso a Internet abierto se relegará a un carril comparativamente lento, con carriles rápidos reservados para servicios de vídeo, telefonía y otros servicios favorecidos afiliados a los proveedores de servicios de acceso a Internet? La reglamentación de las comunicaciones de telefonía, radiodifusión e Internet (incluido el comercio electrónico) depende de las soluciones a estas preguntas, agrupadas en el principio, convertido en slogan, de neutralidad en la red.This article focuses on the global policy challenge of network neutrality. Will governments be able to ensure increasing access to an ever faster Internet while supporting user and content provider expectations that censorship and filtering of their content is kept to a democratically and economically necessary minimum? Or will open Internet access be relegated to a comparatively slow lane, with fast lanes reserved for ISPs' affiliated video,  telephony  and other preferred services? Communications regulation of telephony, broadcasting and the Internet (including consumer electronic commerce) depends on the solutions found to these questions, grouped in the sloganised principle of ‘network neutrality'

International benchmarking of Australian telecommunications services

The study compares the performance of the Australian telecommunications services industry with those in other countries. Related papers submitted to this study by NECG Ltd. and Telecom New Zealand have been released with the report.international benchmarking - telecommunications - Telstra - carriers - service providers - social policy - retail price regulation - Universal Service Obligation - competition - regulation - access - number portability - accounting separation - anti-competitive behaviour - Public Switched Telephone Network - ISDN - mobile - residential price - business price - phone - SMEs - quality of service - performance indicators - productivity

The Graduated Response

In the past few years, the entertainment industry has deployed aggressive tactics toward individual end-users, online service providers, and other third parties. One of the latest proposals that the industry has been exploring is the so-called “graduated response” or “three strikes” system, which threatens to suspend the service of internet users after they have received two warnings from their ISPs about potentially illegal online file-sharing activities. In December 2008, the RIAA made a formal public announcement of its change of focus toward greater cooperation with ISPs. This new collaborative effort seeks to replace the highly unpopular lawsuits the industry has filed against individual file-sharers in the past five years. To strengthen their legal positions, and to induce greater cooperation from ISPs, some industry groups have suggested that the graduated response system had already been built into the framework under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 -- a proposition that had been vehemently rejected by ISPs, civil liberties groups, consumer advocates, and academic commentators. This article explores the system\u27s effectiveness in addressing massive online copyright infringement. It then examines whether the system has been built into the so-called DMCA framework and highlights the problems and unintended consequences brought about by the system. The article concludes by outlining seven basic principles policymakers need to take into account if they choose to institute such a system despite its many shortcomings

Climate Change and World Energy

This Interim Report first appeared as a chapter in Climate Change - Socio-economic Dimensions of Mitigation Measures (Pekka Pirilae, Editor; publisher Oy EDITA AB, Helsinki, 2000). It is reprinted here, with permission, with minor revisions. Preceding chapters in the book discuss possible adverse consequences of climate change. This chapter starts by assuming that the possibility of such adverse consequences justifies action to limit climate change. Its purpose is then twofold. First, it summarizes the state of the art in modeling long-term greenhouse gas emissions from energy use, and extracts lessons for international (and national) efforts to limit emissions. Two such lessons are emphasized - the importance of technological progress to reduce the world's energy intensity, and the importance from shifting from fossil to non-fossil fuels as our primary energy sources. Given these basic objectives, this chapter next addresses "burden sharing"- the question of how the burden of limiting emissions ought to be shared among countries, particularly between rich and poor. The chapter does not advocate any particular burden sharing formula; indeed it argues that debates over formulas may generate more heat than light. Instead the chapter emphasizes efforts to implement and expand emission trading, particularly with developing countries, which are expected to have large opportunities for low-cost emission reductions. Not only will effective trading lead to efficient reductions, it could well represent large revenues for developing countries - revenues that the rich developed countries could well be more than happy to pay

Identifying and managing low money laundering risk : perspectives on FATF\u27s risk-based guidance

Purpose &ndash; The purpose of this paper is to investigate Financial Action Task Force (FATF)\u27s risk-based guidance to combat money laundering and terrorist financing to determine its approach to the identification and management of low-risk providers, products and transactions. Design/methodology/approach &ndash; The paper analyses the relevant FATF recommendations and its guidance notes and reflects on key questions for regulators and financial institutions. Findings &ndash; FATF has not defined &ldquo;risk&rdquo; for purposes of the risk-based approach. The absence of a clear definition complicates the identification of low-risk products. FATF do provide an example of a risk matrix that can be used to identify low-risk banks, but the example is based on assumptions and generalisations that are not sustainable. In addition, it identifies certain low-value transactions as &ldquo;low risk&rdquo; transactions. The paper reflects on the role of value as an indicator of risk and concludes with a number of suggestions to clarify the conceptual framework. Originality/value &ndash; Low-risk products and transactions are often overlooked because the risk-based approach focuses attention on high-risk matters. Low-risk products are however crucial to the efforts to increase financial inclusion. The paper identifies gaps in the current conceptual framework and indicates ways in which they can be addressed.<br /