[IP] Skype asks FCC to open up cellular networks

[David Farber <dave@farber.net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Bob Hinden <bob.hinden@nokia.com>
Date: February 23, 2007 5:29:15 PM EST
To: dave@farber.net
Cc: Bob Hinden <bob.hinden@nokia.com>, Bob Burger <rberger@ibd.com>,  
dwayne@warpspeed.com
Subject: Re: [IP] Skype asks FCC to open up cellular networks
Reply-To: bob.hinden@nokia.com

Dave,

> Skype yesterday petitioned the FCC to lay the smack down on  
> wireless phone carriers who "limit subscribers' right to run  
> software communications applications of their choosing" (read:  
> Skype software). Skype wants the agency to more stringently apply  
> the famous 1968 Carterfone decision that allowed consumers to hook  
> any device up to the phone network, so long as it did not harm the  
> network. In Skype's eyes, that means allowing any software or  
> applications to run on any devices that access the network.

To me, this is what "Network Neutrality" is all about.  Is it OK for  
the network provider to limit the applications that can use the network?

In this case, the cellular operators don't want applications to run  
that would compete with their own services.

Bob



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