FROM WASHINGTONPOST.COM
Verizon Wireless Chief Waxes on Net Neutrality, Cellphone Watches
With government regulation, "the industry will grind to a screeching halt," says Verizon's Lowell McAdam.
(By Isaac Brekken -- Associated Press)
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I sat down this morning with Verizon Wireless chief executive Lowell McAdam to talk about the company's massive investment in more radio spectrum, its moves to open its existing networks and the hottest applications for cellphone users today. But mostly, he was still riding high on yesterday's announcement by Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin of an order to dismiss Internet phone service provider Skype's petition to the agency to enforce open network principles.
"If you bring the government in and they try to regulate, the industry will grind to a screeching halt. Just look at wireline side [which is more heavily regulated]. Does anyone invest in the wireline industry anymore? No. They will in fiber and broadband because those aren't regulated," McAdam said.
The debate over net neutrality -- the idea of enforcing open Internet principles -- has picked up steam in recent months with the FCC holding its second hearing, at Stanford University on April 17, on cable company Comcast's management of its networks. The company has admitted it delays some Internet traffic.
Martin's comments yesterday sparked a slew of criticism from consumer groups such as Consumers Union and Public Knowledge and lawmakers including Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.). Proponents of net neutrality argue that principles need to be strengthened so that network operators are held accountable for delaying and blocking Internet traffic.
In its petition before the agency, Skype pushed for similar principles that would force carriers to open their networks to all devices and applications.
Verizon Wireless said it was moving in that direction. It bid $9.5 billion to win a block of spectrum from the FCC auction that would be open to all devices and software applications. Last November, it also invited device makers and software developers outside their traditional vendor partnerships to create mobile technologies for their networks. So far, 300 people have downloaded the technical specs for their networks, McAdam said. The result of opening its networks, he said, will be a slew of new innovation.
"It's a very interesting experiment in Verizon Wireless because we've set up direct competition with the open development team and the traditional retail team on who gets the most innovative product to market faster," McAdam said.
He envisions small cellphone watches worn on the wrist with streaming video, navigational capabilities and social networking applications so friends can know where you are and what your plans are for the night. A small rubber wrist band could also act as a health monitor, immediately telling your doctor if your blood pressure is at dangerous levels or if your blood sugar is too low.
-- Cecilia Kang
Washington Post staff writer
Kang reported from the CTIA Wireless show in Las Vegas. For more from the Post I.T blog, visithttp:/
