Mobile Internet twists in the wind, regulatory-wise
Verizon didn’t let any grass grow under its feet. Last week, less than a month after the FCC passed its controversial net neutrality order, Verizon filed suit against the agency, challenging the FCC’s authority to create formal rules aimed at preserving an open, equal-access Internet.
The rules leave mobile networks largely alone, other than to stipulate that mobile operators must be transparent about their network management practices. The order leaves what’s deemed “unreasonable” in terms of traffic blocking and throttling largely up to the FCC to enforce on a case-by-case basis — hardly an efficient plan.
ANALYSIS: Verizon-FCC net neutrality fight only beginning
“‘Unreasonable’ is a term that is ripe for many a legal battle,” says Andy Regitsky, president of Regitsky & Associates, a policy and regulatory consulting firm in Reston, Va.
Court cases could result in years of uncertainty, which he says could lead to a stalling of investment in network applications and services.
Court challenges to the FCC’s recent net neutrality rules were expected. Verizon was first to step up to the plate, a move seen by some as ironic, given that word about town is that the rules, described by many as “watered down,” were reportedly written that way to appease Verizon.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of net neutrality, though, is that folks on both sides of the issue claim to have the same vision: an open Internet that in no way stifles innovation and competition.
“That we want an ‘open Internet’ has been agreed on. At issue is whether that will happen naturally or whether we need rules for it to happen,” observes Regitsky.
Mobile access, of course, is the fastest growing form of Internet access. Whether or not special fast lanes can be created across those networks has been left a question mark. That uncertainty could affect enterprise and content provider mobility strategies alike, given that all mobile access may not end up being equal.
