WCA Weighs In Against Net Neutrality
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The *Wireless Communications Association International* (WCA) has come
down against network-neutrality legislation, joining one of the pressure
groups that has been opposing moves in *Congress
</search/?query=Congress>* on the polarizing issue (/TelecomWeb news
break, /June 15).
Representing about 250 companies in broadband wireless carriage and
manufacturing, WCA has teamed with the recently formed
*NETCompetition.org* group organized by Scott Cleland, president of
*Precursor LLC*, and which bills itself as an "e-forum" for debate but
clearly positions itself among the vocal anti-net-neutrality
factions.WCA claims its motive is to promote growth and innovation in
advanced communications over broadband wireless by protecting the
business from net-neutrality regulation
"With spectrum a scarce and expensive resource, it is imperative that
wireless broadband providers remain free to manage their own networks,"
said WCA President Andrew Kreig in a prepared statement. "Net-neutrality
regulation would discourage innovation and investment in more
competitive broadband choices to all Americans. Our member companies are
investing heavily in WiMAX </search/?query=WiMAX> or other '4G' types of
next-generation broadband competitive alternatives. Our companies are
part of the competitive solution, not part of the regulatory problem."
Other supporters of NETCompetition.org include the *American Cable
Association*, *CTIA-The Wireless Association*, the *National Cable &
Telecommunications* *Association*, the *United States Telecommunications
Association*, *Advance/Neuhouse Communications*, *Alltel*, *AT&T*,
*BellSouth*, *Cingular*, *Comcast*, *Qwest </search/?query=Qwest>
Communications International*, *Sprint*, *Time Warner Cable*, *Verizon
</search/?query=Verizon> Communications* and *Verizon Wireless*.
With the WCA's membership, Cleland remarks that next-generation wireless
broadband companies are concerned net neutrality regulation would
discourage investment, adding, "More innovation and competition are the
antidotes for net-neutrality concerns, not backward-looking government
micromanagement."
The development comes after key *House* committees and a full House
floor vote passed a new video-franchise and telecom bills after
defeating repeated amendment attempts to codify stronger net-neutrality
laws and to give the *Federal Communications Commission* greater powers.
The debate over net neutrality - with many pro and con pressure groups
frantically trying to get attention - now turns to the *Senate
*Committee on Commerce Science and Technology, where a massive
communications-reform bill also allegedly lacks strong net-neutrality
provisos as well as to the Senate Judiciary Committee that is
considering separate net neutrality bills in an antitrust, anti-monopoly
context (/see related stories in today's Telecom Policy Report/).
The Senate Commerce Committee may mark up its draft on Thursday
(reschuled from tomorrow) while Senate Judiciary's Subcommittee on
Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights that same afternoon
has slated a hearing on the impact of the proposed AT&T/BellSouth merger
(in light of consolidating telcos becoming a factor in the
net-neutrality fight).
--
Regards,
Peter
RAD-INFO, Inc. - NSP Strategist
We Help ISPs Connect & Communicate
813.963.5884
http://4isps.com/newsletter.htm
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