Wednesday, April 21, 2010

AT&T strange view of Kroes speech and lessons for US

Its not surprising that a US duopolist would try to spin the Kroes speech, but this effort by AT&T on their blog seems to be very selective on her speech in Paris last week. I left a comment but they did not publish it (unsurprising really, and late publishing of comments generally avoids all readers). Here's what she really said.
The takeaway for the US is that you need legal authority via legislation to make net neutrality stick, and that you need federal judges who support decisive regulatory action to implement those measures. Oh, and as Lessig points out, you need broadband competition, and consumer rather than corporate welfare for your legislators. Without that you're stuck with misleading duopoly...
She has explained her policy further in a speech yesterday:
"It is therefore essential to establish clear regulatory guidelines to encourage investment in next generation access networks, while ensuring that such networks remain open and competitive in the interest of consumers... one could almost say that the only existing Digital Single Market for audiovisual material is the illegal one. People are able to access content EU wide but only through illegal file-sharing whereas much content from other Member States is not on offer at all. I am convinced that creating the legal Digital Single Market will lead to a wealth of options available to citizens. This will strike a blow against piracy to the benefit of authors and artists, and without endangering the open architecture that is essential for the internet's utility. It is obviously common sense that we fix problems like this."
Meanwhile, in the UK, David Cameron's office explains why you should only vote Conservative if you want lobbyists' version of the truth about broadband.
UPDATE: my comment has still not appeared on the AT&T blog, while some rather wonderful comms economists have picked up on the Kroes speech but spun it as very free-market - which it aint! - strange how legislative backing for net neutrality and a commitment to stop VOIP blocking are misinterpreted in DC...

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