I doubt it. The FCC has a rather poor track record of regulating
shared public resources in the public interest as of late. If you
think domain names have caused a lot of controversy, read some of the
debates regarding low power FM, cable (de)regulation, HDTV, etc.
The FCC has actually had an excellent record. First it
enabled the Internet to emerge through the Computer trilogy
basic-enhanced dichotomy and by removing government
regulatory agencies from the scene. It is also in independent
regulatory agency (as opposed to being beholden to the whims
of the Executive Branch) that has a solid track record of
largely seeking effective industry and marketplace solutions.
(And yes, I worked there in various official capacities for 12
years.)
ICANN is an experiment in Internet self-governance. If it fails, then
there will most likely be some federally mandated entities created to
do what ICANN is doing.
The FCC is unlikely to have ever created an abomination like
ICANN and its intergovernmental body within - the GAC. This
is hardly Internet self-governance. It's homecoming for all
the old OSI crowd who are intent on creating a neo UN body
to help "manage" the Internet through regulatory edicts that
governmental bodies themselves couldn't promulgate.
--tony
